Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political scientist and historian who lived in the early 19^th Century. To help his country preserve its blood-bought liberty in the aftermath of the French Revolution, he looked to learn from the young democracy of the United States, still in its infancy. His work, Democracy in America, is a collection of observations about our nation's origins and is still considered an expert perspective on how democracy impacts society.

Sometimes, the best way to see the consequences of our sin is to take it out of the darkness and hold it up to the light. Many years ago, I did just that with the Bathsheba event in David's life. The story is found in 2 Samuel 11, but let me turn it upside down and use it to show how you can ruin your life. If you think disobedience to God is the better choice, you may as well do it the way David did.

I seem to write and talk a lot about enduring amid trials. I never set out to be that guy in ministry. I had ambitions to be the pastor known for courageous conviction, inspiring vision, and powerful oration—something to be proud of. We like to fancy ourselves strong and capable, robust people who can overcome any hurdle. There’s a reason that “Has-Anxiety-Baggage-Laden-Man” never really took off as a Marvel hero.

The Lord has gifted every Christian to serve the local church by uniquely forming them and equipping them with gifts only they can employ. Therefore, serving in the local church is a biblical and enriching expression of engagement towards the church family the Lord has given you.

Fasting is a lost art in pursuit of the spiritual disciplines and one that seems quite distant from everyday life in modern Western culture. However, when we look to Scripture, there is an expectation that believers would fast as a part of the Christian life (Matt. 6:16; 9:15). So before you dismiss this practice as only for Tibetan monks…let’s explore a few of the “whys and hows” of fasting so that we might enrich our spiritual development and the lives of those whom we walk alongside.

The birth of Jesus is the most significant event in the history of the world. His entrance was not what would have been expected. It was unassuming and unceremonious. The people of God who had not heard from God through the prophets for 500 years could have been tempted to believe the day of the Messiah's coming would never arrive.

We live in a world with an ever-diminishing sense of hope. When negative circumstances of life amass, people often react with despondence, bitterness, apathy, and cynicism about the future. However, God’s Word instructs those who belong to Christ not to share this same gloomy outlook.

In the fabric of Christian virtues one thread stands out distinctly and weaves through the core of our faith: thankfulness. It sets us apart and reminds us that everything we have and all that we are is a gift. As Christians, our duty and joy are not only to receive these gifts with gratitude but also to embrace this call wholeheartedly. Thankfulness, profound and essential, is at the heart of our faith, shaping our outlook and infusing our lives with meaning and purpose.

It seems to me that people have lost hope these days. This loss has not happened overnight but over time. The things that promise human flourishing have become shallow expressions of their presented self. No one wakes up and desires to be hopeless. But, when seemingly insurmountable challenges blockade the end road of their hope, the energy and desire to hope again become less and less attractive. The hope that comes through government, physical health, ethnic unity, and economic security has been challenged and, in some cases, destroyed. The only logical conclusion is to rely upon the self to provide the things promised by the object of hope.

As a freshman in college, I remember sitting in History of American Music, a remedial survey class, surrounded by fellow aspiring music majors chatting and getting to know one another as we anticipated the bell to initiate our first session. As class began and without warning, the instructor entered, hushed us, fired up the speakers, and turned down the lights. After a moment of scratchy static, we were immersed in the metallic sliding and plucking of an acoustic guitar accompanying the melancholy vocals of Robert Johnson. With the remaining time, we explored the ins and outs of the musical genre we came to know as the blues.

My retirement fund would be in excellent shape if I had a nickel every time I heard encouragements like: “Listen to your heart! Trust your gut! Follow your moral compass!” Whether it is in your kids’ soccer games or in your job’s staff development training, much motivational talk involves encouraging the hesitant and reluctant to trust their instincts and personal judgment. We are naturally persuaded to believe every human being possesses all the necessary tools to navigate life’s choices and challenges.

If you know me at all, it’s no secret I love to eat. I’m not a foodie in a true sense; I’ll eat Taco Bell with as much (more?) gusto as good sushi. But for some people, food is just fuel. Others of us think about dinner at breakfast and have never successfully made it past a box of donuts without partaking.

As an introvert, ministry can be overwhelming. Since people are the aim of all pastoral efforts, there is no end to questioning the effectiveness an introverted pastor can have in his calling. It seems introversion and pursuing people are at odds, which is true if not for the power that holds all things together, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not unique to pastors; this embodies the experience of many people in the church family.

The Bible is filled with both laws and principles given by God to the authors of Scripture who wrote them down for our instruction and benefit. For example, in Genesis 2:15-17, God gave the first law: The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Why is forgiveness so important? It seems like an unnecessary question to ask because forgiveness is so self-assumed and built into the Christian life. But let’s press into the answer. Forgiveness is important because we live in a world of conflict and pain. When it comes to forgiveness, there is more at stake than just our emotional health. Our emotional health is one of the blessings of forgiveness, but there is something far more foundational to discover here. The aim of forgiveness is not our personal and emotional health; first and foremost, forgiveness aims to show a watching world something beautiful in our lives that only God produces.

Imagine being installed as a church leader at a young age in an idolatrous, pagan city. That was Timothy—Paul’s disciple, traveling partner, and dear friend.