This question just in from our global online tribe: “Why do I need to examine my heart and take inventory on my sins? God already knows about them, right?” A key discipline in our fight to live an authentic life in Christ is UNMASKING OUR SIN. We must KNOW our sins specifically in order to activate God’s specific forgiveness and cleansing.    The FIRST reason God is looking for us to be...

The essence of our Christian faith is the SON OF MAN coming to seek out and save the lost while other religions call on the FOLLOWERS to seek their “higher power.” Zacchaeus was a rich tax collector who fell into the camp of people who thought they had to seek out God. That’s why he went to Jericho when he heard Jesus was approaching the city gate. Being short in stature, he quickly realized that...

Everything people are doing in the world today—everywhere and always–is being pilfered by smart devices and fenced at the online pawn shop and its kangaroo court. With everyone watching everything, it’s harder to “get away” with a crime, bad behavior, or “secret sin.” But all of this exposure has not stopped us from pursuing pleasure or making bad choices without giving serious thought to the...

Another important question just popped in from our online tribe: “Hey Mark, I’m confused by the Bible’s claim that we hide from God. What does that mean?” The answer can be found by going back to the Garden where everything was great for Adam and Eve. They were fellowshipping with God. They were sinless. And then they accepted Satan’s offer.    In that moment the Garden’s perfection was...

We are all born LEGALISTS (keep the law to win God’s acceptance) who are vulnerable to being caught in the “Pharisee Trap.” Vulnerable to reject God’s grace. And vulnerable to the false allure of earning our way into Eternity with Jesus. The Pharisees were prolific legalists on a pedestal hovering above all others (1 Corinthians 8:1). They appeared to have it all together, but that was merely camouflage...

The word AUTHENTICITY is being tossed around our 21st Century society like a doughy pie gone airborne in the Bronx. Everyone is looking for what’s REAL. Marketing pushes an ARTISAN vibe to sell its products.    GENUINE is a moniker everyone wants to associate with but few ever meet.    The AUTHENTICITY “movement” has reached a fever pitch. It shows up everywhere in just about...

God’s “MEASURE OF FAITH” is not available to everyone in the world. But he does give every believer at Salvation a measure of his life-saving faith (2 Corinthians 5:17). Some people, at least on the surface, seem to be an always-flowing fountain of faith. And if we’re not careful and connected to God, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking “I don’t have faith like that person.”    It...

Early in my faith walk I thought it would be possible to toggle between my work sanctuary and God’s sanctuary. But later I learned that a bi-focal option like that does not exist. We cannot be in two places at one time. It’s our sanctuary or God’s sanctuary. Either we work for Heavenly Rewards or strive for Worldly Wealth.    I had clearly chosen Worldly Wealth over Heavenly Rewards....

Christians everywhere on the planet—of all ages and colors and in different life circumstances—want to deepen their connection with God. They want to grow spiritually to be mature believers. And they want to live a Christ-like life. That includes me and I’ll bet it includes you, too.    I hear about this frustration over and over again from our ministry’s tribe of 400,000 online followers...

This just in from our ministry’s global online tribe: “Mark, I want to have more faith but I don’t know how.” That vexing question has been around for over 2000 years. But it is even more relevant now as we are showered by sparks flying from a kaleidoscope of terrifying technological change.    The answer? God’s Word produces FAITH.    It’s a gift of love we cannot earn. It’s...