“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – Matthew 5:27-28 When we think of adultery, most of us picture an obvious and dramatic act. Something physical. A secret affair. A betrayal played out behind someone’s back. But Jesus doesn’t start with th...  Read More

“So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:23-24 It’s easy to assume that bitterness only affects the person you’re bitter toward. That somehow, your cold shoulder or u...  Read More

“Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court” – Matthew 5:25 Jesus had a way of taking big spiritual truths and laying them out in real, practical terms. In His teaching in Matthew 5, He paints a picture of someone being taken to court over an unpaid debt. If you owed someone money and didn’t pay it back, you were thrown in prison. And from there, y...  Read More

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9 God isn’t far from you. He never moves away. But He also doesn’t force closeness when your heart is cluttered with things that don’t belong. He wants intimacy with you. He wants you to walk with Him, hear His voice, and feel His presence. But He’s not going to compete w...  Read More

“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:23-24 After you recognize the rift and respond with repentance, the next move is simple, but it’s not easy. Restore the relationship. Whether it’s your relat...  Read More

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9 Once you recognize the rift, the next step is clear. You’ve got to respond with repentance. Not deflection. Not excuses. Not spiritual language to soften the edges. Real repentance. The kind where you stop justifying what God is trying to fix. The kind where you lay it ...  Read More

“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” – Psalm 66:18 Sometimes the hardest part of spiritual growth is being honest with yourself. Not honest about what other people do or how they’ve hurt you, but honest about what’s living in your own heart. That’s where the real work starts. Jesus said if you remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift ...  Read More

“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” – Isaiah 59:2 It’s easy to show up to church, lift your hands in worship, and say a prayer. But it’s also easy to forget that there are things in your life that can actually block your connection with God. Not because He’s distant or uninterested, but because...  Read More

“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:23-24 Worship matters to God, but your relationships matter too. And in Matthew 5, Jesus gives us a strong reminder that if you’re holding on to conflict wit...  Read More

“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to hell of fire.” – Matthew 5:22 We live in a world that celebrates speaking your mind. Say what you feel, let it fly, speak your truth. But Jesus warns us that not every word is harmless, and not every out...  Read More

“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment” - Matthew 5:22 Jesus had a way of taking the obvious and flipping it. Everyone knew murder was wrong. Nobody argued that. But when He said, “You have heard it said… but I tell you,” He shifted the conversation from what we do with our hands to what we allow in our hearts. He was not just raising the standard....  Read More

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment” - Matthew 5:21-22 When you hear the word “murder,” what comes to mind? Some people might think of high-profile cases like O.J. Simpson or the Menendez brothers. Others might go further back...  Read More