Deep-End Discipleship

Count on it: They will be in utter panic because God is with the righteous generation. You evildoers may humiliate the plans of those who suffer, but the Lord is their refuge. Let Israel's salvation come out of Zion! When the Lord changes His people's circumstances for the better, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will celebrate! - Psalm 14:5-7 CEB - One of my favorite artists is Jason Emmanuel Petty, better known as Propaganda. He is most recognized for his spoken word and I admire him for his honesty, as he speaks on issues openly and genuinely, not attempting to seem perfect or put-together. In one of his spoken words, he addresses a challenge to his faith by asking fellow believers, "Have you never felt like this was all in your head?" What Propaganda meant was that sometimes, as Christians, we can doubt our faith, coming to feel that perhaps we have made it all up in our heads. This sentiment is often fueled by the fact that we hear it from the world. The...

Fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins;  sure knowledge is for all who keep God's laws. God's praise lasts forever! - Psalm 111:10 (CEB)- Let ’s face it, fear probably isn’t anyone’s favorite topic. We prefer to avoid our fears and often face them begrudgingly. Because of this, reading passages which say to “fear the Lord” can sound weird to us. However, often in the Bible, fear refers to something besides simply terror. Fear can also be the idea of being completely amazed at something truly awe-inspiring. When someone is filled with awe at something, there is an idea of amazement which captures their mind and heart. I think of going to a concert with your absolute favorite singer and then getting to meet the person afterwards. There is excitement, awe, and it’s probably the only thing you’re going to think about the week prior or the week after! Our God - the creator, savior, compassionate, just, good God - is much greater than any human musician. Though ce...