Blog

Tag: Lord

  • Hoarding Grace

    If God’s grace is freely given, then why do we act like we have the authority to limit what we offer to others? Why do we hold back grace from people just because they don’t meet our unspoken standards? Why do we feel justified in hoarding something that we didn’t even earn or meant to keep to ourselves in the first place?

    Grace found us when we were at our lowest, not when we figured everything out. It met us in secret sin, in silent struggles, in shame we carried quietly and privately. God didn’t wait until we healed or fixed ourselves to pour it out. He didn’t say, I’ll love you after you get it together. He loved us while we were still a broken mess.

    Why are we so quickly to forget that when it’s our turn to give it? Honestly, we like the feeling of having the upper hand. It feels powerful to say that you hurt me, and now you have to earn my forgiveness. It feels safe to withhold grace, to guard ourselves, to protect our pride, to keep record. We dress it up as boundaries or discernment, but sometimes it’s just bitterness. Sometimes it’s control.
    Sometimes it’s a wound we’ve nurtured so long, that we forgot what freedom really feels like.

    But Jesus didn’t hoard grace, even when He had every right to. He didn’t hoard it from the ones who betrayed Him, denied Him, abandoned Him. He didn’t withhold it from the people who mocked Him as He bled.
    He said, Father, forgive them, not after they repented or asked for forgiveness, but while they were still treating him like he was nothing.

    That’s grace. Undeserved. Uncomfortable. Unfair. And yet, completely free. So who are we to measure grace with teaspoons when God pours it out as rivers?

    We say we want to be like Jesus, but Jesus didn’t wait until people changed to offer grace. He gave it, and the grace itself became the thing that changed them.

    We’re not called to be reservoirs of grace.
    We’re called to be rivers, letting it flow through us. This means even when it’s hard. It also means even when it hurts, especially when it costs us our pride.

    Grace is not ours to withhold. It was never meant to stop with us. It’s a gift we pass on, not a reward we hand out. Freely we’ve received and freely we must give.

  • Sunday mask

    Too Many Don’t Live to Please God, They Live to Deceive People. Let’s just say it plainly. Too many people are not living to please God. They’re living to impress others. Not to walk in truth, but to perform in lies. Not to be real, but to look right. And that’s why we’re drowning in fake faith and shallow spirituality.

    You see it everywhere. People talking about God first while their actions scream me first. Quoting Scripture while living in secret sin. Serving in churches while gossiping, lying, manipulating, and craving status. They want the image of being godly, but not the lifestyle. They want applause from the world but couldn’t care less if God is pleased. It’s not about transformation, it’s about reputation.

    They’ve mastered the art of deception. Looking holy, sounding spiritual, even doing good works, but it’s all for show. Behind the curtain, there’s no prayer life. No repentance. No hunger for righteousness. Just ambition. Just ego. Just empty performance.

    They go to church, not to worship, but to network. Not to be convicted, but to be seen. They post verses, but won’t obey them. They say God bless, but curse people in private. And they’re more afraid of being exposed by people than being judged by God.

    Let me be clear: God is not fooled. Heaven is not impressed by your Sunday mask. God sees past the filtered posts, the fake smiles, the double life. He sees your heart, and He’s not interested in your performance. He wants your obedience.

    Living for people is slavery. It’s a trap. Because the crowd is never satisfied. You’ll exhaust yourself trying to keep up an image, all while your soul is starving. But living for God? That’s freedom. That’s power. That’s peace. Because He doesn’t need you to be perfect, He just needs you to be honest. Real. Surrendered.

    If your walk with God is just a costume you wear when it’s convenient, then what are you really doing? You’re not fooling God. And in the end, the same people you were trying so hard to impress won’t be the ones you stand before on Judgment Day.

    This is a wake-up call. Stop living for likes. Stop living for attention. Stop living to be seen, praised, or envied. Start living a life that’s holy when no one’s watching. Start living so that God, and not man, is pleased.

    Because the truth is, a lot of people are going to hell dressed like they’re going to church. Don’t let that be you.

  • My Pain is a Blessing

    My Pain is a Blessing

    That sounds strange, I know. Especially when you’re living with pain that doesn’t go away, pain that lingers day after day, like an unwanted shadow. Chronic pain wears on you, physically, mentally, emotionally. It drains you in ways most people will never understand.

    But even in that, I’ve learned something deeply valuable: pain has a purpose.

    If I never had pain, if I never faced suffering, I might start to believe I didn’t need help. That I had it all figured out. That I was strong enough on my own. But the truth is, I’m not. I’m not perfect, I’m not self-sufficient, and I wasn’t made to be.

    Pain is what reminds me I need God.

    It’s what drives me into His arms. When my body aches and no relief comes, when I’m exhausted just from existing, when I wonder how I’m going to get through another day, He meets me there. In the stillness, in the struggle, in the silence. I need Him every moment, and pain keeps me close. Not because God wants to see me suffer, but because He wants to see me lean on Him, trust Him, know Him in the deepest way.

    And maybe… maybe that’s a blessing.

    Because someone else out there is suffering too. Someone feels like they can’t go on. Someone is battling chronic pain, invisible illness, or emotional weight no one sees. If that’s you, I want you to know: I see you. I am you.

    And if my dependence on God, if my ability to keep moving, even when it hurts, can shine a light for someone else in the dark, then maybe that’s part of why I’m still standing. Not because I’m strong, but because He is. Not because the pain is easy, but because God is faithful in it.

    My suffering is how I stay connected to Him.
    My weakness is how His strength is made perfect.
    My brokenness is where His grace meets me.

    So no, I don’t thank God for the pain. But I thank Him that even in the pain, He’s present. And I thank Him for using it, for using me to remind someone else they’re not alone, and they’re not without hope.

    Chronic pain may be part of my life, but it will never define me.
    God does that. And He’s not finished with me yet.

  • A True Shepard

    A pastor should be someone you can trust. Not just to preach a good message on Sunday or lead a powerful prayer, but to live with integrity, walk in truth, and lead by example. You should be able to trust them with your heart, your questions, and yes, even your family. A true shepherd carries the weight of people’s lives with deep responsibility and care.

    Pastors are called to be trustworthy. They are called to be people of integrity, people whose words match their actions. You should be able to believe what they say. You should be able to watch their life and see consistency, humility, and growth. You should be able to lean on them during hard seasons and feel safe bringing your children into the fold of the church they lead. That’s not asking too much, it’s the bare minimum of what ministry leadership should look like.

    But here’s the thing… as much as you should be able to trust them, you’re not supposed to put your hope in them.

    When you put your hope in a person, they begin to take a place in your heart that only God belongs in. That’s when they stop being just a pastor and start becoming your god, your source, your security, your foundation. And here’s the hard truth: God will not compete for that place in your heart. If a person becomes your idol, no matter how gifted or well-meaning they may be, God will tear that idol down. Not out of cruelty, but because He loves you too much to let anyone else take His place.

    There are some leaders who want to be your hope. They thrive off your dependence. They want to be the only voice you listen to, the only one who can “hear from God” for you, the only one you turn to for answers. That’s not leadership, that’s control. That’s not shepherding, that’s manipulation.

    You need a pastor who doesn’t want to be your god. You need a pastor who doesn’t want your worship, your dependency, or your blind loyalty. You need a pastor who’s more committed to pointing you to Jesus than pointing you to them. Someone who is actively trying to build you up, not build a platform for themselves.

    A true pastor will teach you how to hear from God for yourself. They’ll lead you toward maturity, not dependency. They won’t be afraid to remind you: you don’t need a man to get to God. Jesus tore the veil, and no human being can ever stand in the place that only He was meant to fill.

    So yes, trust your pastor. Honor them. Pray for them. But don’t worship them. Don’t place your eternal hope in a person who is still human. Let them point you to the One who will never fail you, never leave you, and never have to be replaced.

    Find a pastor who helps you walk so closely with God that one day, you realize you don’t lean on a man anymore, you lean on the Father.

    That’s the goal. That’s the kind of leadership we need.

  • The Wake Up Call

    We All Think We Have Time. Everyone walks around like tomorrow is promised, like we’re guaranteed the next breath. But the truth is, time is the one thing we’re never guaranteed. We make plans, chase dreams, hold grudges, waste moments, and all the while, we forget that life is fragile. One moment can change everything. One phone call. One accident. One heartbeat missed. So stop acting like you’ve got forever.

    And somewhere along the way, we’ve convinced ourselves that we’re entitled. Like we’ve got these God, given rights we don’t even understand, let alone respect. We want justice when it benefits us, but we don’t want to fight for what’s right. Let’s be honest: if we really had to fight for our “rights,” most of us wouldn’t make it through the night. We’d fold under the pressure because comfort has made us soft, and entitlement has made us blind.

    Everyone’s out here talking about “my truth.” But let me say this, and I’ll say it loud: there is no your truth or my truth. There is only The Truth. And that truth is found in the one true living God. He doesn’t bend to opinions. He doesn’t change with trends. He doesn’t waver just because culture does. His truth stands eternal, unshaken, unmoved, and undefeated.

    We’ve built this culture where we tear each other down to feel superior. Where we measure someone’s worth by their money, their social status, their appearance, or their success. But let me make this clear: not one person walking this earth is better than the next. We all bleed the same. We all fall short. We all struggle, whether it’s behind closed doors or out in the open.

    So stop judging the one who’s homeless, addicted, depressed, or just barely holding it together. You don’t know the battles they’ve faced. You don’t know what it took just for them to survive today. Humble yourself, because in the blink of an eye, you could be in that same place.

    Money fades. Fame fades. Looks fade. But character and compassion, those are eternal. And truth? Real truth? That’s found in God alone.

    We all need a wake up call. This life isn’t about proving you’re better. It’s about realizing you’re not. It’s about loving harder, forgiving quicker, judging less, and remembering who’s really in control.

    You think you’ve got time? Think again. Live with purpose. Speak the truth. And never forget where it all comes from.

  • 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.

  • 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?