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“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭17‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

During the recent Grammy awards, there were some interesting musical performances and speeches. Perhaps the most disturbing was the performance of the song “unholy” by Sam Smith. He dressed up like Satan and had dancers “worshipping” him. The CBS Twitter account even tweeted “we’re ready to worship” before the performance (CBS broadcasted the show). Clearly, this was disgusting and evil. What’s worse to me, though, is the Church’s response to it. There have been Christians who briefly remarked on it, but there have been many who either chose to ignore it or didn’t even notice it. Even when given the same stage to receive an award afterwards, Christian artists didn’t use that platform to speak.

In this passage, Paul has arrived in Athens and he’s waiting for Silas and Timothy to join him so they can continue on their missionary trip. While he’s waiting, he notices all of the idolatry that’s prevalent in the city. And it deeply troubles him. His immediate response was to go preach the gospel, and speak against the rampant idolatry.

In this world, there is evil all around us. There are idols everywhere. And it’s getting more and more blatant and in our faces. But are we deeply troubled by it? Or are we oblivious to it? Does it move us to action as it did Paul? Or do we ignore it? Do we speak and act against it? Or do we compromise with it?

Let’s pray that God helps us to examine ourselves. Let’s pray that He gives us the knowledge of anything in us that has been compromised, and helps us to repent. Then, let’s pray that He gives us the words to speak out and the courage to act out against the worsening evil around us. As Brian Courtney Wilson sang, our faith, our family and God’s kingdom are all worth fighting for.

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” I John‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

1. What does it mean to abide in Him?

The Greek word for abide in this scripture is meno, meaning “to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy; to dwell, remain, tarry.” It’s what you would use to describe your house for example. You abide there. It’s your permanent residence. When we abide in Christ, we live in Him. He’s our permanent residence. Everything we do centers on Him. Everything we believe centers on His Word.

2. How did Jesus walk?

The writer is using walk to describe the way Jesus conducted His life. And highlighting the fact that if we abide in Him, then we must also conduct our lives just as He did. Did Jesus cuss? Then we shouldn’t. Did Jesus lie? Then we shouldn’t. Was Jesus sexually impure? Then we shouldn’t be. Did Jesus pray often? Then we should. Did Jesus tell the truth in love? Then we should. Did Jesus meet regularly with other believers to eat, fellowship, pray, etc? Then we should.

Do you abide in Christ? If so, do you walk like He walked in every area of your life? Think about it. Pray about it. Then walk it out.

“Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When it comes to movies, tv shows or books, I have never liked spoilers. Once you ruin the ending of something for me, I no longer want to watch it or read it. This probably goes back to when I was growing up and I had a first cousin who was notorious for ruining the ending of movies. Since then, I have always wanted to experience my entertainment spoiler-free. I trust the authors to set up a story that pays off in the end and I appreciate the opportunity to enjoy the journey without knowing quite how it all ends.

Life can be like this too. We’re not quite sure of the journey or how it will all end (aside from the fact that eventually we will either die or see Jesus return). But we can enjoy the ride nonetheless because we can trust that the Author has set up a story that pays off in the end. In the scripture above, the prophet Isaiah shares the message from the Lord that He knows the end from the beginning. We can rest in knowing that God will do what He wills (Job 42:2). No matter what happens in life, it will all work out for us both in the end (Romans 8:28) and along the way (Psalm 37:25).

The journey of life is often spoiler-free, as we never know what’s going to happen, good or bad. But honestly, as long as God is directing it, I’d have it no other way. I know my story will be incredible and it will end in triumph.

“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭37:25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Stranger things have happened.” We often use this idiom when we witness or hear about something happening that may seem unlikely, but not impossible when you think of past, seemingly impossible instances that actually happened. For example, I may say “I didn’t think Tim would ever leave the job he loves so much, but I guess stranger things have happened.”

When David wrote Psalm 37, he offered up many words of encouragement to the righteous. From trusting in God because He will act (v. 5), to understanding how the wicked will eventually be no more (v.10), David assured us that we find peace and security in God. My favorite verse in this psalm is v. 37, where David said he had seen many things in his life, from youth to old age. But he had never seen God forsake the righteous or leave their children wanting. This still holds true today. Times get hard, situations get tough, circumstances get dire. But God is ALWAYS with you, and He ALWAYS provides for you. Even when it doesn’t feel like it or look like it, He will never leave you, nor will He fail to supply your every need.

Having the almighty God of the entire universe as an ever-present Father to little ole you may seem impossible and unlikely, but trust me. In my life as a believer, stranger things have happened.

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” II Corinthians‬ ‭7‬‬:‭1‬ NKJV

When my siblings and I were growing up, our dad taught us to maintain very high standards. He would always repeat, “Don’t halfway do anything.” He never wanted us to cut corners to get a certain task done. He was of the old school, where you either do something right or you don’t do it at all. To this day we all still work that way.

Paul was of the old school too, albeit the much older school. In the passage above, he’s emphasizing the Christian’s continual work towards perfect holiness. Often we get complacent because we get better. It’s the “at least I’m not where I was” mentality. But God doesn’t want us to settle. He doesn’t say to be kinda holy. He says “be holy” (I Peter 1:16).

Growth is great, but it’s not done until you reach perfection. Reflect on where you are, and where you still need to go. As my dad would say, don’t halfway do your holiness. Keep working to cleanse yourself of ALL filthiness of the flesh. Only then will you reach perfect holiness.

“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I saw a tweet recently that said Steph Curry is ‘just a good shooter.” First of all, Steph is more than just a shooter. Secondly, even if Steph is “just a shooter,” he’s perhaps the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA. And if you dig into his upbringing, you can see how he became that. His father, Dell Curry, played in the NBA and was a great shooter too. He instilled a work ethic in Steph that is unparalleled. Many NBA players have spoken about the countless hours Steph puts into his game. Even now, as a very accomplished veteran, he rarely lets a day go by without spending hours in the gym. It hasn’t been easy, but that’s why he’s reached a level in his career that few others have.

In the above verse, Jesus is delivering the famous Sermon on the Mount. At one point, He talks about the difficulty of following the Way. He emphasizes that the gate is narrow because few are able to live the life of a true disciple of His. As some friends and I discussed this week, this is part of the Christian experience that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. In a nutshell, this life ain’t easy. It can feel nearly unbearable at times. From the trials and persecution (John 16:33) to the sometimes unrelenting temptation to sin (Matthew 26:41), it can be downright difficult to stay faithful. And maybe the worst part is that it’s going to get even harder (Matthew 24:21). You have to understand all of this going in, so you can do as Jesus tells us and count the cost (Luke 14:25-33).

But as we steadfastly trust and depend on Jesus, and follow Him, we will one day realize the great rewards He has promised us. The Word says that one day He will return to carry us home (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Arthur Williams put it best: “I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy. I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.”

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

My wife has a much greener thumb than I do. I can cut the grass and edge the lawn, but that’s about it. She takes care of the rest of the lawn, including the bushes we have out front. From time to time, she has to trim and prune them to remove the withered and dead branches and leaves. She also maintains the rest of the branches so that our bushes continue to beautify the front of our home. Her work is a perfect example of God’s work in us.

Jesus told the disciples that He is the vine, and God is the vinedresser. in order to produce fruit, we, the branches, must abide in Jesus. We can’t bear fruit without being connected to the vine. And if we are not bearing fruit, He will take us away. This is a model of our salvation. Salvation shouldn’t be just a one-time conversion event. We must also stay connected to (i.e. abide in) Jesus so that we can continue to grow and produce fruit. As Jesus tells His disciples, God is glorified through our bearing much fruit (John 15:8). And as we bear fruit, He will even prune us to bear more.

So, let’s continue to keep our branches in the Vine through studying His Word, praying, obeying, serving and communing with one another. We’ll bear fruit, and He’ll make sure we keep on bearing it.

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

While on vacation in the Florida Keys, my wife and I fed the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina. This is a must-do while in the Keys, and it’s a very cool experience. After buying bait from the marina, you go out to the pier and dangle your bait over the water. These huge fish literally leap out of the water to eat the bait. Before you know it, a large group of tarpon has gathered near you to catch your bait.

Jesus called the disciples (and us) to be fishers of men. And just like the tarpon, men will be attracted to us if we’re using the right bait. The Word gives us many descriptions of the right bait, including fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), seasoned speech (Colossians 4:6), sincere love (I Peter 4:8-9) and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32). If we fail to use the right bait, not only will we not catch fish, but we may also drive fish away from us.

So next time you go fishing for the Lord, check your bait. If it’s righteous, you’ll catch fish for the Father. And, trust me, that’s an even cooler experience than feeding tarpon.

“For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:4-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ever since I can remember, I have been a fan of wrestling. I watched it constantly when I was growing up, and even now I’ll catch it periodically. However, mostly I now watch documentaries of wrestlers who were at their peak when I was younger. One documentary I enjoyed the most was “Andre the Giant” (2018). This HBO film told the story of Andre the Giant, including the account of his famous Wrestlemania 3 bout with Hulk Hogan. It was a fascinating story, as Hogan recalled working with Andre to script it out and how Andre didn’t want to let Hogan win (the WWF wanted Andre to pass the torch to Hogan). Eventually, Andre relented and let Hogan pin him, which ignited the historic run of Hulk Hogan.

Andre the Giant knew that despite his attempts to avoid the inevitable, ultimately he would lose. The WWF had already determined who the winner would be. And just as wrestling matches are fixed fights, so is the fight we have with this world. The world hates us because it hated Jesus (John 15:18-19), which is why we face more and more opposition each day. But because of what Jesus did on the cross, we have victory over the world. As long as we believe in Him and follow Him, we already win. It’s a fixed fight for sure, but I’m glad we’re on the right side of it.

“But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?””
‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Because I travel for my job, I have slept in countless hotels. Inevitably, I have certain hotels that are my favorites, and often one of the main factors is the sleeping experience. When I sleep, I love to have great pillows. If I stay in a hotel with only one or two pillows, and those pillows aren’t even comfortable, then that hotel brand will rarely get visited again. Pillows make the difference for me, and as we read this passage they should make the difference for all of us.

During this trip on the sea, the disciples and Jesus encountered a terrible storm. Winds and waves beat against their boat, threatening to sink it. While the disciples were panicking, Jesus was calmly sleeping on a pillow. This account is a wonderful analogy for our lives. We encounter storms that beat on us very often in life. And many of us resort to panicking as a response. But if we are to truly be more like Jesus, then we need to take His example and live by it. In the midst of the storms we can sleep peacefully, for we know that He will take care of us through it all.

So whether you’re in the middle of a storm, just coming out of one, or headed into one, find your pillow. And rest quietly. Because God’s got this.