“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” - Romans 8:1 (CSB)By this point in the week, Jesus has pressed us pretty hard. He has asked whether our confession matches our obedience. He has shown us that hearing His words is not the same thing as acting on them. He has told us to dig beneath comfort, approval, and control until our lives are actually resting on Him.Then He ...  Read More

"When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn't shake it, because it was well built." - Luke 6:48b (CSB)Jesus never says the storm will avoid the person who obeys Him. That matters.The wise builder gets hit by the storm too. The rain comes. The river rises. The water crashes against the house. Jesus does not describe a life where obedience creates immunity from pressure. He...  Read More

"He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock." - Luke 6:48a (CSB)Jesus gives us a picture of obedience that feels incredibly ordinary. A man building a house. No dramatic miracle. No crowd. No thunder from heaven. A builder with dirt under his fingernails, digging.And Jesus makes sure we notice something about him. He "dug deep."Pause there.That detail matte...  Read More

"I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them:" - Luke 6:47 (CSB)Yesterday we sat with one uncomfortable question from Jesus: "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things I say?"Today Jesus takes that question one step further. He tells us what authentic obedience actually looks like."I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears...  Read More

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things I say?" - Luke 6:46 (CSB)There are questions Jesus asks that are easy to read quickly. Then there are questions that make you want to slow down because you realize He is talking directly to you.Luke 6:46 is one of those. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things I say?"Jesus is speaking to people who know the right language....  Read More

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” - Matthew 5:3, CSB We have spent six days looking at the kind of person Jesus describes as blessed. And now we need to ask the question that has been underneath this entire week: Does the description sound like you?Not, "Do you agree with the Beatitudes?" Not, "Could you explain them?" Not, "Do you believe Christians should liv...  Read More