When you're looking for advice, whether it's from a doctor, a mechanic, or a financial advisor, what do you look for? You want someone who is not only knowledgeable but also has a good reputation and is trusted by others in their field. You’re looking for someone reliable. In our spiritual lives, the stakes are infinitely higher. Choosing who to follow, who to learn from, isn't just a matter of preference; it's a matter of our spiritual health. Thankfully, the Bible doesn't leave us guessing. It gives us a clear, three-part test for finding a truly trustworthy guide.

We've all heard the saying, "Actions speak louder than words." It’s a simple truth we apply to politicians, to our friends, and to ourselves. We know that what someone does is often a far better indicator of who they really are than what they say. But have you ever considered, that this principle, is at the very heart of our relationship with God? The Bible teaches that our habitual actions are like a form of spiritual DNA, they bear witness to the family we truly belong to.

Have you ever noticed how easily we pick up habits from those around us? Maybe it’s a phrase a friend always uses, or the way a coworker organizes their desk. We are natural mimics. But have you ever stopped to think about who you are mimicking spiritually? The Bible tells us that imitation isn’t optional in our faith journey; it’s commanded. And the choice of who we imitate has a far greater impact on our souls than we could ever imagine, setting the entire course for our lives.

We’ve all been there: a moment of pure frustration. A point where our plans have failed, our expectations have been crushed, and we are ready to storm off in a rage. In these moments, we are often just one decision away from walking away from a breakthrough. But sometimes, in that heated moment, a quiet voice of reason cuts through the noise, a friend, a spouse, or even a memory, and challenges our pride. Today, we look at the critical moment when Naaman is about to abandon his only hope, saved only by the wise counsel of his servants.

Have you ever gotten angry over a gift? It sounds strange, but sometimes a gift can feel too simple, too easy, almost insulting. We expect a grand gift by the person presenting it. That feeling betrays us because what we are saying is that we’ve earned the gift. This approach very much mirrors how we approach God in prayer. When we come to God with our biggest problems, we often bring a script with us, a clear idea of how He should act. But when God ignores our script and offers a solution to our prayers, we get angry and our pride is offended.

When you have a serious problem, where is the first place you turn? If your car breaks down, you call a mechanic. If you have a legal issue, you hire a lawyer. We are trained to take our problems to the right expert. But what about the problems that are deeper? The ones that keep us up at night, the guilt, the broken relationship, the gnawing emptiness. We often treat these the same way, pulling out our human toolkit of money, connections, and self-help, hoping to find the right expert. But what happens when we take a God-sized problem to a human address?

Have you ever looked at someone's life, on social media or even from a distance and thought, "They have it all together"? They have the career, the perfect family, the success. It all looks so polished. But we all know that life is more complicated than that. Every one of us, no matter how impressive our resume, has a secret battle. There's always a "but." "She's a brilliant executive, but her marriage is falling apart." "He's a star athlete, but he's crippled by anxiety." Today, we’re looking at a man in the Bible who was the definition of success, yet he had a devastating ‘but.’

What’s a song you know by heart? A song that, the moment you hear the first few notes, the words just come flooding back? The early church understood the power of music to teach. They didn't just write essays; they wrote hymns. They knew one of the best ways to get truth into people's hearts was to get it onto their lips in song. So, when Paul wanted to summarize the single most important truth the church is called to uphold, he didn't give a list of rules. He quoted a song.