His Word > our words. His Truth > our truth.

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His Word > our words. His Truth > our truth.

I love the book of Ephesians. Today I spent time in Chapter 4, and it made me think ALOT about our words in light of His Word and our tone in light of His Truth. I encourage you to read it, too. I promise it is more powerful than these words I’m about to share with you.

Allie Beth Stuckey put it this way, “It goes back to pride. We think we are more loving than God, we think we are wiser than God, we think we are more compassionate and empathetic than God, we think we know truth better than God. It’s all about exchanging the God of scripture for the god of self.”

When we think we know better than God, and we abandon His Truth, we will inevitably give in to the deception of the enemy. We will buy into the lie by constantly asking the question the enemy himself asked Eve in the garden, “Did God really say?”

He tries to trick us into thinking our tone is more important than speaking the truth.

He tries try to tempt us to believe our words show others love by coddling and comforting them, even if our words condone their sin.

We’re more concerned about how something sounds than what is being said.

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Stop the Scroll if it’s not Feeding your Soul.

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Stop the Scroll if it’s not Feeding your Soul.

Stop the scroll if it’s not feeding your soul.


If scrolling has you stressed or depressed, I’d love to offer you two simple words, followed by two more that lead to far more...

Just stop. Then start.

Stop scrolling. Start seeking.

Stop aimlessly and mindlessly reading content that leaves you discontent, and start reading THE WORD. God’s Word. It doesn’t return void (Isaiah 55:11), nor does it leave you feeling devoid.

I know there are accounts you follow that encourage and equip you with Biblical truths, and that is great.

But don’t just snack on sound bites, when you can feast of the Bread of Life.

We must stop the scroll if our feeds are weakening our souls. Our thumbs may be strengthened, but our spirits are weakened.

When God’s Word is read, we are not only fed, we’re nourished instead, and our spirit strengthened while the enemy is weakened.

Greg Boone of Look Up Lodge, says, “The absence of weight gives the illusion of strength.” I love how this pertains to and parallels this spiritual analogy of a well-nourished soul.


Scrolling, liking, commenting, and sharing may give the appearance of being “strong in the Lord” or “well versed in His Word,” but if we are not truly IN the Word, we will never truly live it OUT in the world. It’s merely an illusion or facade.

The absence of true connection with God (because of online connection with others) can give an illusion of intimacy. In time, however, it can lead to a misconnection with others and a disconnection with God.

Webster defines “misconnection” as “a wrong or faulty connection.” I define it this way: “online connection with others that causes a real life disconnection with God”... which makes us all desperately MISS CONNECTION with God!

“Connect with God first so you can connect with others best” has become a mantra of sorts for the way I want to live life and encourage other believers to live as well. But actions speak louder than words, and at times, I can find online connection with others coming before my connection with my the One who is above all others.

And it leaves me feeling frustrated and deflated because snacking on sound bites has me desperately craving more of Christ.

Less of me. Less of the world. Less scrolling.

Stop the scroll if it’s not feeding your soul.

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Fact. Faith. Feeling. What’s Drivin’ Your Train?

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Fact. Faith. Feeling. What’s Drivin’ Your Train?

Fact. Faith. Feeling.


What’s drivin’ your train?


Let’s face it, feelings are fickle. On any given day, we can be up or we can be down. While our feelings are real, they are not always right. And if we allow those real, but sometimes wrong, feelings to rule our wayward hearts and fuel our forward motion, we may very well be headed for derailment!


That’s why I love this illustration I learned in college when I was involved with Cru. A train has an engine, freight cars, and a caboose. The engine, the one driving the train, must be fueled by FACT. As a Christian, a follower of Christ, who holds fast to a Biblical Worldview, FACT (Absolute and Objective Truth) comes from the Word of God. Period. There is no other substitute for truth.


That fact must be followed by FAITH (the freight cars), close behind the engine (FACT), Our faith must be pulled and drawn by the Word of God. There must be something to have “faith in” before faith can by attached to and led by that fact.


And finally, FEELINGS. Ah, those fickle FEELINGS. Sometimes I wish we could simply uncouple them and leave them in the train yard, but remember, they’re real...and as long as they are in their proper place, behind the FACT of God’s Word that drives the train and our FAITH in that truth that allows it to reign, then those FEELINGS can remain. As the caboose. The end. They are just along for the ride.


We must have a high view of God and a humble view of ourselves by believing what His Word says about His holy, righteous, and unchanging character as it relates to our sinful, fickle, and forever changing nature. When we do, we can let Him lead us, and that frees us to simply follow, without fear because He will never fail us or derail us.

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Yearn to Learn. Teach to Reach.

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Yearn to Learn. Teach to Reach.

If we are teachable, others will be reachable.


I offer this word of advice with a caveat.


If you are a Christian, a Christ follower, a believer in Jesus Christ as the son of God, that makes you a student of the Word of God, and you should daily be taught by Him through His Word.


So, by “teachable,” I mean able to be taught, Biblically. Open to learning sound doctrine within Biblical Theology. You can do this AND still read other texts and have conversations with those who disagree; however, if your foundation in Biblical Truth is not firm, the enemy loves nothing more than to have you dabble in your doubts while striving to figure it all out.


And while learning requires leaning in and listening, it should not stop us from stepping out and witnessing.


There is so much talk today (especially in Evangelical Christian circles) to lean in, listen, and learn, and while I here for it, I’m also quick to caution against it as I’m witnessing the destruction in it. It’s a dangerous endeavor if not done while standing on the rock solid foundation of the Word of God.


Cordial conversations, even when about controversial topics, are always a good thing. How can we stand up for Biblical Truth if we are not engaging in conversations with those of opposing world views?


Every conversation we have must be from a place of humility. No one on this planet knows it all. The only one who does is sitting at the right hand of the the Father interceding for us (Romans 8:34). He knew and did the Father’s will. He prays for us to know and do the Father’s will, too (Matthew 6:10).


We can’t know and do the Father’s will apart from being a learner of His Word and a discerner of His truth. We can’t reach others with that truth until that truth has reached our own hearts, renewed our own minds, and redeemed our own lives.


YEARN TO LEARN so we can TEACH TO REACH.


There’s a buzz word floating around these controversial conversations we’re having lately — nuance. And just to be clear on how I feel about the word, quite frankly, I think it’s a convenient little word, a crutch to hold up the weak arguments it’s used to defend, arguments that are usually neither for or against, circular in reasoning, never giving way to solutions based on sound reasoning and Biblical teaching.

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When We Get the WORD IN, We Can Keep the WORLD OUT

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When We Get the WORD IN, We Can Keep the WORLD OUT

You don’t even need to be fluent in Christianese, to be familiar with the phrase, “be in the world but not of it.” What does that even mean? Is it Biblical? And if so, how in the world do we live it out?


Let’s start with this passage from John 17: 14-19, Jesus’ words, a beautiful prayer to His Father, a plea He passionately poured out for His disciples on the eve of his crucifixion:


“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”


Jesus was willing to GIVE His life so we could HAVE life, eternally with Him and abundantly through Him. God’s WORD became FLESH to dwell among us for 33 years IN this WORLD. And when He both obediently and willingly left this world, He left His WORD with us. His WORD became flesh through Jesus, and it is still ALIVE and ACTIVE through the power of the Holy Spirit today.


His WORD. Our guide. Our compass. Our True North. When the world attempts to lead us astray. The Truth of His Word MUST lead the Way.

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When the world pauses me by fear and fret, the Word causes me to draw near and not forget...

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When the world pauses me by fear and fret, the Word causes me to draw near and not forget...

When the world pauses me by fear and fret,

the Word causes me to draw near and not forget...


🧡In Christ, I am perfectly loved, and Perfect Love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18)

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” ~ 1 John‬ ‭4:18‬‬‬


🧡In Christ, I do not have to be anxious about anything. (Philippians 4:6)

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians‬ ‭4:4-7‬‬‬

🧡In Christ, I can confidently call out to God. (Psalm 145:18, Hebrews 4:16)

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” ~ Psalm 145:18

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” ~ Hebrews 4:16

🧡In Christ, I am strong and courageous and never alone. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬

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