“Human history is the long, terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” - C.S. Lewis

There are so many lies we buy into in an effort to find joy outside of a surrendered relationship with God. Genesis introduces sin, and in Genesis 3 we read the account of an interaction between the deceiver and the woman. This conversation reveals the lies that started humanity's long stint of wandering.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’’ ‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis 3:1-7, emphasis added).

In this passage of Scripture, we notice four lies the serpent uses to pull the first humans away from God’s best.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/lchumpitaz

The defining feature of our Creator is love! When we spend time in his presence, we also take on his loving nature.

Are you living in the abundance God promises or relying on your own strength? This reflection on Ephesians 3:20-21 reminds us of the extravagant love, grace, and power available when we surrender to Him. Embrace the abundant life God offers and discover what it truly means to thrive in His presence.

If we are honest, even as Christ followers there are some days where finding God’s goodness feels like a treasure hunt. We really have to stretch our hearts and minds to find it. Those are the days when we realize that what our soul needs more than God’s good gifts is the presence of our good God.

God made it his mission to help me understand what his abundance means this year, and as I look back, I am in awe of the ways he proved himself to be sovereign, gracious, powerful, and kind. All I can offer back is a weak thank-you, because I know his grace is more than I could ever aspire to deserve.

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled. For God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4

God’s ultimate plan for us, his people and his creation, is to dwell with us. His permanent, forever dwelling place is with us. What a crazy thought to ponder while we are stuck here in the middle, advocating for Heaven to touch us but not yet free from the powers of evil that cause strife and struggle for humanity.

These men felt they could not be faithful to the call of Christ in their life in the face of adversity, leaving Paul more alone and vulnerable as he pressed forward to share the good news with anyone who would listen.

Gratitude can help us stay grounded as we engage in holiday activities. When we approach each interaction, holiday party, and gift exchange with a grateful heart, we can recapture a bit of what it’s all supposed to be about.

Serving one another humbly in love captures the entire mission of marriage.

How many of us are weary? Our lives are so full, so stressful, and so hurried we only feel troubled. There is no peace for the weary. We live in an exhausted world where the pace of our days has left many of us empty. But there is another way.

I think this idea, this truth that we are commanded to love, struck me because it flies in the face of most of what our culture teaches. Our culture says love is a commodity that is supposed to first and foremost serve you. Notice God’s depiction of love is actually about how you are called to treat others, not about what you are to receive from this love-filled life.

Imagine being stuck in the middle of a storm in the middle of the night, with no GPS, no cell phone, and no lifeboat. You see the boat filling with water and you start to panic, understanding that this will likely be your last moments alive. Fear is the most natural response to this kind of terrifying experience.

This is the situation that Jesus’ disciples found themselves in. There was no chance of rescue outside of a miracle and the waves and wind would not relent. In Matthew 8:23-24 we read, “Jesus got into a boat, and His followers went with Him. A great storm arose on the lake so that the waves began to sink the boat.” The Greek word for this storm is seismos which paints the picture of a very serious storm.

Maybe you can relate to the situation the disciples found themselves in! These men followed Jesus into a boat onto the water, believing that with him they would be safe, but all of a sudden they found their lives to be in danger! Have you followed Jesus into the unknown, believing he would protect you and keep your life free of storms, until you were surprised to find that tribulations are still a part of your story?

Oftentimes we mistake God’s promise of eternal salvation with a ticket to a trial-free life in the here and now. We might be surprised to learn that the Bible actually teaches that in this life we will experience suffering (John 16:33). The disciples were also surprised to be stuck in a tempest while their leader took a nap (Matthew 8:24). Thankfully we can learn from this account how to cling to Jesus in the storm.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/John M Lund Photography Inc