Blog

Category: Faith

  • Best Kept Secret of Our Generation

    Before I ever keep God to myself again, I will be buried in my grave and go home to see my Lord. Because God was never meant to be hidden away, locked behind the walls of my own comfort, tucked into the quiet corners of my private life. He is not a secret to be safeguarded, He is the Light of the world, the Hope of the broken, the Answer to the hurting. And if I have found that Hope, how could I ever withhold it from a world drowning in despair?

    I look around and see pain in every direction, people crushed under the weight of their burdens, searching for meaning in empty places, grasping for peace in things that can never satisfy. And I have the answer. Not because I am better, not because I am stronger, but because I have been rescued. I was lost, I was broken, I was bound in chains until Jesus stepped in. He pulled me out of the pit, He placed my feet on solid ground, and He filled me with a love that cannot be contained.

    So how could I ever remain silent? How could I live a life that hoards the goodness of God as if it were mine alone? No, friend, before I ever do that again, I will breathe my last breath and step into eternity. Until then, I will proclaim His name. I will testify of His grace. I will speak of His mercy and His power to redeem.

    This world is dark, but I carry a light. This world is hurting, but I know the Healer. This world is lost, but I walk with the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And as long as there is breath in my lungs, I will not keep that to myself.

    Let them call me foolish. Let them say I’m too bold. Let them reject, let them doubt, let them turn away. But I will not stop. Because Jesus did not stop for me. He bore my shame, He carried my cross, He endured the weight of my sin so that I could know Him. And if He gave everything for me, how could I ever withhold Him from others?

    No, before I ever keep God to myself again, I will be laid to rest, my work on earth complete. Until that day, I will be His hands and feet. I will share His love. Because He is not a God to be hidden, He is a God to be shared, proclaimed, and lifted high for all to see.

    The world needs Him. And as long as I am here, I will make Him known.

  • While Never Fun, We Need the Storms

    There are moments in life when the storm feels unbearable. When it knocks us down, leaves us broken, and makes us wonder if we’ll ever rise again. But sometimes, we need the storm, not because we enjoy the suffering, but because it opens doors we never could have imagined. It takes us places we never thought we’d go and allows us to reach people we never could have reached before.

    I think about Paul in Lystra. He was preaching the Gospel, doing what God had called him to do, and for that, he was stoned. Not just beaten or imprisoned, but stoned to the point that the people thought he was dead. They dragged his body outside the city and left him there, assuming it was over. And in any normal situation, it would have been. But God wasn’t finished.

    Paul got up. Bruised, battered, but not broken. And instead of running in the opposite direction, instead of saying, “I’m never going back there again,” he returned. First, he left for a time, but later, he came back. And when he did, he strengthened the believers there. What the enemy meant to destroy him, God used to build something greater.

    It makes me wonder, how often do we face trials, only to assume that’s the end of the story? How often do we suffer and decide we never want to go back to that place, that relationship, that calling? But what if God is saying, “Not yet. I’m not done. What the enemy meant for evil, I will use for good.”

    Paul didn’t go back as the same man. He went back with experience. With scars. But also with a testimony that couldn’t be denied. The people who had tried to kill him now saw that not even death could stop the message he carried. And because of that, the number of believers grew.

    Maybe you’re in a storm right now. Maybe you’ve been through one so painful that you never want to return to where it happened. But what if your return isn’t about reliving the pain but about showing others what God can do? What if your scars are the testimony someone else needs to see to believe that God is still in the business of redemption?

    The storm isn’t the end. The suffering isn’t the final chapter. Sometimes, we need the storm to take us places we wouldn’t have gone on our own. Sometimes, the very thing meant to destroy us is what God will use to bring life to others.

    So, if God is calling you back, back to the place of pain, back to the people who rejected you, back to the situation that almost broke you, don’t be afraid. You’re not going back the same. You’re going back stronger. You’re going back as a testimony. And through you, God will reach those who never would have believed before.

    What the enemy meant for evil, God will always use for good.

  • Hospital For The Broken

    Church Should Be a Hospital, Not a Masquerade. Somewhere along the way, we started treating church like a performance rather than a place of healing. We started dressing up our brokenness instead of bringing it to Jesus. We got really good at saying “I’m fine” when we’re not. We convinced ourselves that if we’re struggling, we need to push it down, put on a smile, and pretend everything is okay. But that is not church. That is not what Jesus intended.

    Church is supposed to be a hospital for the sick, not a museum for the self-righteous. The moment we turn the sanctuary into a stage for perfection, we have lost the very heart of the gospel.

    Jesus said in Matthew 9:12-13, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick… For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

    So why do we act like we have to be whole before we can walk through the doors?

    What If We Were Honest?

    Imagine if, instead of brushing past people with shallow greetings, we actually asked, “How are you really?” And imagine if we allowed space for the truth to be spoken.

    What if someone walked into church and said:

    “I’m addicted, and I don’t know how to stop.”

    “I’m battling depression, and I don’t feel God anymore.”

    “My marriage is falling apart, and I don’t know what to do.”

    “I don’t know if I even believe in Jesus anymore.”

    Would we love them? Would we walk with them? Or would we look away, too uncomfortable to deal with their reality?

    Jesus met people in their mess. He sat with the outcasts, touched the lepers, and dined with sinners. He didn’t wait for people to clean up their act before offering them grace. So why do we?

    Stop Checking the Church Box

    For too many of us, church has become a ritual. We show up on Sundays, sing the songs, hear the sermon, and leave unchanged. We check “church” off our list like we’re fulfilling an obligation.

    But let me tell you something: You didn’t “see” Jesus just because you sat in a pew.

    If you walk out of church and your heart is still hardened, you didn’t meet Jesus.

    If you treat worship like a concert instead of surrender, you didn’t meet Jesus.

    If you ignore the person sitting next to you who is clearly hurting, you didn’t meet Jesus.

    Jesus is not impressed with attendance records. He’s after transformation. He’s after authenticity.

    Ask People Their Story

    One of the most dangerous things we can do is assume someone is okay just because they look okay. You don’t know the battles people are fighting. You don’t know what it took for someone to walk through those church doors.

    Before you write someone off, ask them, “What’s your story?”

    That addict you judged? Maybe he’s been clean for a week, and this is the first time he’s had hope in years.
    That single mom you whispered about? Maybe she left an abusive relationship, and church is the only safe place she knows.
    That person who seems distant? Maybe they’ve been crying out to God, wondering if He even hears them anymore.

    Don’t send someone to hell because you were too busy pretending to be holy.

    Be the Church, Not a Social Club

    If church isn’t a place where people can be real, then what is it? A social club? A gathering of people who have perfected their masks? That is not the church of Jesus Christ.

    The early church in Acts was a place where believers “shared everything they had” (Acts 2:44-45). They confessed their sins. They carried each other’s burdens. They did life together.

    Somewhere along the way, we lost that. We traded community for comfort. We traded vulnerability for appearances.

    But real healing requires real honesty.

    So let’s be different. Let’s be a church where the broken don’t have to hide. Let’s be a church where people can say, “I’m not okay”, and know they won’t be met with shame but with grace.

    Because that’s exactly what Jesus would do.

  • God Over Religion

    I’ve come to a place in my life where I want everything to do with God, but nothing to do with the Church of God. I don’t need a specific religion to define my faith, and I don’t need a building to tell me what I already know deep in my soul.

    I believe in God. I seek Him. I want a real connection with Him. But what I don’t want is to be part of a place that hides the truth, a system that picks and chooses what to believe, a body that refuses to acknowledge anything that doesn’t fit within its own controlled narrative.

    I’ve seen too much, questioned too much, and felt too much to pretend that the church always gets it right. Too often, it doesn’t. Too often, it silences instead of listens. It shames instead of loves. It protects what is convenient and ignores what is uncomfortable. And I refuse to be a part of something that puts its own image above the actual truth.

    My faith is not about religion. It’s not about traditions. It’s not about following a set of rules created by people who think they’ve figured out God. My faith is about God Himself. It’s about the relationship I have with Him, the way He moves in my life, and the truth He reveals to me, not the truth someone else tells me I have to accept.

    I don’t need a church to find God. I don’t need a title to have faith. And I don’t need approval to seek what I know is real. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about religion, it’s about Him.

    That doesn’t mean I’ll never step foot in a church or find value in gathering with others who seek Him. Because I will go to church. But it does mean that my faith isn’t dependent on a building, a denomination, or a specific way of doing things. My relationship with God is not confined to Sunday mornings or dictated by traditions passed down without question. I refuse to let my spirituality be shaped by human expectations rather than divine truth. My faith is built on something far deeper, something unshakable, personal, and real.

  • Small Thinking

    Years ago, a prophecy was spoken over my life, one that I didn’t fully understand at the time.

    “You think too small.”

    I remember hearing those words and brushing them off. I didn’t see it. I thought I had dreams, I thought I had vision, I thought I was believing for big things. But looking back, I realize now that my mindset was limited. I was believing within the confines of what I thought was possible, what I thought I could handle, what made sense within my comfort zone.

    But here’s the thing about prophecy: it doesn’t expire. It lingers. It waits. It follows you until the time is right.

    And now, I can feel the winds shifting. Something is stirring deep within me. For the first time in my life, I am thinking big. But here’s the difference, this is not about me. This is not about my success, my comfort, or my ambitions.

    This is about Jesus. Always Jesus.

    I don’t want to dream bigger just so I can have more. I want to dream bigger so His name can be glorified. So His kingdom can expand. So His will can be done.

    I refuse to live a life of small prayers when I serve a limitless God. I refuse to let fear, doubt, or insecurity keep me from walking in the fullness of what He has planned. I refuse to keep my hands closed when He is calling me to open them, to give more, to love deeper, to surrender fully.

    So here I am, stepping out, believing for the impossible, walking boldly into the unknown. Because if I am going to think big, it will be for Him. If I am going to dream, it will be for His glory. If I am going to live, it will be for Jesus.

    No more small thinking. No more safe prayers. No more limiting God to what I think is possible.

    The winds are shifting. And I am ready.

  • Savior but not Lord

    Most People Want an Easy Faith, But That’s Not What Jesus Offers. They want salvation without sacrifice. They want heaven without holiness. They want Jesus as their Savior, but they don’t want Him as their Lord.

    This is the tragedy of modern Christianity: many want the benefits of Christ without the cost of discipleship. They love the idea of being saved from hell, but they don’t want to submit to the One who saves. They want a Jesus who forgives, but not a Jesus who commands.

    But Jesus never offered a comfortable, casual faith. He made it clear: following Him comes with a cost.

    A Faith Without Cost Is Not True Faith

    Too many people believe in a watered-down gospel, one that tells them they can live however they want as long as they “believe” in Jesus. But faith without obedience is dead (James 2:17). Jesus Himself asked,

    “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)

    Calling Jesus Lord means He rules over your life. But many people don’t want that. They want the title of Christian, but they don’t want the lifestyle of a disciple.

    People Want Salvation Without Sacrifice

    Many want the assurance of salvation, but they don’t want the surrender that comes with it. But Jesus made it clear:

    “Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38)

    The cross is not a decoration, it’s a symbol of death to self. If you follow Jesus, you must be willing to sacrifice:

    Your desires

    Your plans

    Your comfort

    Your sinful lifestyle

    But most people don’t want that. They want grace without change. They want to keep their sin and still claim salvation. But Jesus never offered that option.

    People Want Heaven Without Holiness

    Many say, “I believe in Jesus,” but they live no differently than the world. They ignore Hebrews 12:14:

    “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

    Holiness means being set apart. It means you don’t talk like the world, think like the world, or act like the world. It means you don’t compromise with sin. But too many people want to fit in with the world and still expect to enter heaven.

    But Jesus was clear:

    “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. But the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

    The way is hard because it requires holiness. It requires obedience. And most people are not willing to live that way.

    People Want Jesus as Savior, But Not as Lord

    Many love to talk about how Jesus forgives. But few want to talk about how Jesus commands. But Jesus doesn’t just say, “Come as you are.” He says, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

    Salvation is free, but following Jesus costs everything. That’s why He said:

    “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

    That means you don’t get to pick and choose which parts of Jesus you want. If He is your Savior, He must also be your Lord.

    True Faith Requires Full Surrender

    The reason the road to eternal life is narrow is that few are willing to fully surrender. Many claim Christ with their mouths, but deny Him with their lives. But Jesus said:

    “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

    True faith requires:

    Repentance (turning from sin)

    Obedience (following God’s commands)

    Holiness (living set apart)

    Sacrifice (denying yourself)

    Anything less is not true Christianity.

    Will You Take the Narrow Road?

    Most people will not pay the price. They will settle for a comfortable, compromised Christianity that costs them nothing. But Jesus is worth it. The cost of following Him is nothing compared to the cost of rejecting Him.

    So ask yourself today:

    Do I truly follow Jesus, or do I just claim His name?

    Do I live in obedience, or do I just expect forgiveness?

    Do I desire holiness, or do I just want heaven?

    Jesus wants all of you. Not just your words, but your life. The question is: Will you give it to Him?

  • Without God, I’m Nothing

    Without God, I am nothing. Without His presence in my life, I would crumble under the weight of my own weakness. I would be lost, wandering aimlessly through life, searching for meaning in things that could never satisfy me. Without Him, I would be like a ship without an anchor, tossed by the winds of uncertainty, drifting farther from the shore with no direction and no purpose.

    Don’t get me wrong, even with God, I am nothing. I am still broken. I am still flawed. I still fail daily. But the difference is, with Him, I have a foundation that holds me together. A rock that keeps me grounded when everything around me shakes. A love that surrounds me when I feel unworthy, a grace that covers me when I fall short.

    Without Him, my insecurities would drown me. My fears would consume me. My failures would define me. But because of Him, I have hope. I have a purpose. Even when I don’t see my worth, He does. Even when I feel empty, He fills me. Even when I think I’ve reached my breaking point, He reminds me that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

    I don’t deserve His love, yet He gives it freely. I don’t always seek Him like I should, yet He never leaves me. I fail Him daily, yet His mercy is new every morning.

    So yes, without God, I am nothing. But with Him, I am held. I am seen. I am loved. Not because of who I am, but because of who He is. And that is enough.

  • Why Won’t You Just Quit

    Imagine the devil himself, sitting in the shadows, watching you with frustration in his eyes. He’s thrown everything at you, storms that should have drowned you, mountains you were never supposed to climb, burdens meant to break your back. He’s whispered doubts into your ear, dragged your worst fears into the light, and tried to turn your own mind against you.

    Yet, here you are. Still standing. Still fighting. Still refusing to quit.

    He clenches his fists. He’s seen people fall for less. He’s watched others crumble under the weight of pressure you’ve endured. He’s used the same tricks, the same temptations, and the same tactics, but they’re not working.

    He growls under his breath. Why won’t this guy just give up?

    Because you’re not fighting in your own strength. Because every time you get knocked down, Jesus picks you back up. Because even when you feel weak, His power is made perfect in you. Because you’re not walking this road alone, He’s the one carrying you forward.

    The devil throws another obstacle in your path. Another setback. Another betrayal. Another heartbreak. He waits for you to falter. But instead, you lift your eyes to the One who sustains you. You breathe deep, let go of the weight you were never meant to carry alone, and take another step, this time, not in your own power, but in His.

    And as you keep moving forward, you can almost hear the enemy sigh in defeat.

    Let him be frustrated. Let him know he picked the wrong one to mess with. Because as long as you have breath in your lungs, Jesus will be the one carrying you through. And in Him, quitting will never be an option.

    “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

  • Sermons vs Scriptures

    Too many times, we rely on sermons to carry us, but sermons will only take you so far. They inspire, they encourage, and they give us guidance, but they are not a substitute for the Word of God. A sermon is like a meal someone prepares for you, but the Word is the kitchen itself. If you rely only on what someone else feeds you, what happens when they’re not around? What happens when the storm hits and no pastor, no bishop, no evangelist is there to hold your hand?

    Listen to me: I can’t save you. Your momma can’t save you. Your daddy can’t save you. No man or woman on this earth can secure your salvation. Only Jesus can. Only the Word of God has the power to transform, to renew, and to sustain you through every trial.

    Yet so many of us make excuses. “I don’t have time to read the Bible.” But let’s be real, there is always time for what we truly value. We scroll through social media for hours. We binge-watch shows. We make time for everything except the one thing that actually gives life.

    The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” That means you are responsible for getting into the Word yourself. You can’t depend on a secondhand relationship with God. You can’t rely on someone else’s revelation when God has fresh manna waiting for you every single day.

    We have become a generation full of sermons but empty of scripture. And that’s why so many are weak, tossed back and forth by every wind of doctrine. The enemy knows scripture, and if you don’t, he will twist it and deceive you just as he did with Eve in the garden.

    Jesus Himself, when tempted in the wilderness, didn’t respond with emotions or opinions, He responded with scripture. “It is written.” That is the weapon you need. That is what gives you strength.

    So, my challenge to you today is this: Stop making excuses. Open your Bible. Read it for yourself. Meditate on it. Memorize it. Let it fill you up so that when the trials of life come, you aren’t just quoting what the pastor said last Sunday, you are standing firm on the unshakable truth of God’s Word.

    Sermons can inspire you, but only the Word can sustain you. Choose the Word. Choose life. Choose Jesus.

  • Peace of Peter

    Imagine this: You’re in prison, not for doing something wrong, but for boldly standing up for your faith. You’re shackled, chained between two guards, and you know that in just a few hours, your fate is sealed, execution awaits. Most people would be terrified, pacing the floor, crying out in desperation, begging God for deliverance. But not Peter. Peter was sound asleep.

    Not just lightly dozing off, but sleeping so well that when an angel came to rescue him, the angel had to strike him, give him a good old-fashioned shake, to wake him up! (Acts 12:7) Now, what kind of peace must Peter have had to sleep so deeply in such a dire situation? The kind of peace that only Jesus gives. The kind of peace that surpasses all understanding.

    The Source of Peter’s Peace

    Peter wasn’t sleeping because he was in denial. He wasn’t ignorant of the fact that James, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, had just been executed (Acts 12:2). He knew that Herod was on a mission to wipe out the leaders of the early church. Yet, even with the weight of this reality pressing on him, Peter had a peace that let him rest.

    That peace didn’t come from the absence of trouble; it came from the presence of Jesus. Peter had walked with Jesus. He had seen Him calm storms, heal the sick, raise the dead, and most importantly, rise from the dead Himself. Peter knew that no matter what happened, he belonged to Christ, and nothing, not even death, could separate him from the love of God.

    Jesus, the Giver of Unshakable Peace

    Jesus told His disciples in John 14:27:
    “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

    The world’s peace is fragile. It depends on circumstances. When things are going well, you feel peaceful. But the moment trouble comes, that peace shatters. Jesus offers something entirely different, an unshakable, immovable peace that remains firm even in the face of trials.

    Peter had that peace because he had Jesus. And that same peace is available to you today.

    Resting in Christ in the Midst of Your Chains

    We may not be chained between two guards like Peter, but life often puts us in situations where we feel trapped. Anxiety, fear, financial burdens, illness, betrayal, uncertainty, these are the chains that try to keep us up at night. But if Peter could sleep in the face of death, then surely, in Christ, we can rest in the midst of our struggles too.

    That doesn’t mean the problems will always go away instantly. But it does mean that we don’t have to carry the weight of them. 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us:
    “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

    If Peter, the same man who once panicked and denied Jesus three times, could find this level of peace in Christ, then so can you. His peace is not reserved for the “super spiritual.” It’s for anyone who trusts in Him.

    How to Walk in the Peace of Jesus

    1. Remember Who God Is – Just like Peter, we need to remind ourselves of who God is and what He has already done. If He has been faithful before, He will be faithful again.
    2. Trust in His Sovereignty – Peter understood that whether he lived or died, he belonged to Christ. He rested in the truth that nothing could happen to him outside of God’s control.
    3. Stay in Prayer and Surrender – Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to bring everything to God in prayer, and His peace will guard our hearts and minds. That’s the key—taking everything to Him and leaving it there.
    4. Receive His Presence – Peace isn’t just a feeling; it’s a person. Jesus is our peace. The more we dwell in His presence through worship, prayer, and His Word, the more we’ll experience His unshakable peace.

    Wake Up to Your Deliverance

    The same angel that had to shake Peter awake was also the one who led him to freedom. Sometimes, we’re so deep in worry, fear, or just plain exhaustion from life’s battles that we don’t even realize our deliverance is already at the door. Just like Peter, we need to wake up to the fact that God is moving, even when we can’t see it yet.

    Whatever you’re facing today, let the peace of Jesus carry you. Rest in Him. Trust in Him. And when the time comes, wake up and walk in the freedom He has already secured for you.

    Because the same Jesus who gave Peter peace in chains is the same Jesus who gives you peace today.