Category Archives: Christian Spirituality

Kneeling at the Cross is Out Today!

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality

Hi Friends!

Today is the release day for my new song,

Kneeling at the Cross

On January 7th, one of the hardest days of my life, my dad wrote something— just a raw, heartfelt poem in the middle of the pain. I couldn’t have known then, but he was going through struggles of his own.  I remember him reading it and feeling so seen, so covered, so reminded that we’re never alone.

I couldn’t shake it.

So a couple months later, I turned his words into a song.

Within hours of creating it (with a little help bringing the music to life, thanks AI), something I can’t even explain started happening… it began spreading. People were listening. People were hurting. People were being touched.

And 72 hours later… I was on a stage, singing it live for an audience for the very first time.

There’s no strategy for that. No formula.

That could only be God.

And now, as this song is being released on Easter weekend… I can’t ignore the parallel.

This isn’t just my song.

This is something the Lord wanted to share.

If you’re in a hard place right now—please know:

God is faithful. He sees you. And He will not leave you there. When all we see is the cross, He sees the empty tomb. 

Kneeling at the Cross is available now— on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Youtube, wherever you get your music. Have a listen, add it to your playlists, and share with the people you love. Thanks for always supporting my music and writing!

Why Do We Feel the Need to Earn God’s Grace?

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality
Home » Christian Spirituality
Why do we feel the need to earn God's grace?

Why do we feel the need to earn God’s grace? Why is it so easy for us to forget God’s sovereignty? Every time I’m feeling out of sync and life seems to be going all wrong, I realize it’s because I’m not trusting God. I’ve forgotten that He’s trustworthy. Even after all He’s done.

It’s like He’s standing there, waiting for me to notice as He whispers, “Hello? Don’t you remember Me?”

When I’m truly and fully trusting God and His sovereignty, all my worries and concerns go out the window. My life flows like a gentle river, carrying only what’s necessary along with it. This is how God wants us to live. In collaboration with Him. In complete and total surrender to Him. And this is how I want to live, too. So why do I keep falling back to my old ways?

I think often, and unintentionally, we’re caught up in a life of striving. We feel overwhelmed by the demands that are placed on us (even the ones that we put on ourselves). Often this striving is subconscious and masked in the language of, “I’m just trying to do all that God has called me to do.” Or, “I don’t want to miss what God has planned for me.”

In reality, we’re only thwarting the gift of God’s grace. The gift that Jesus gave us, through total suffering and sacrifice.

Why do we feel that we need to earn God’s grace? Can we enjoy a gift if we refuse to accept it? Or if we set it aside until we “have time” to really absorb it? Or if we set a standard of perfection before we allow ourselves to open it? Of course not!

I don’t think we even realize that through our striving, we’re inadvertently trying to remove the title of Savior from Him and put a “Superstar” label on ourselves.

So let’s slow down and make room for the Spirit to lead us. Let’s savor the grace we’ve been freely given. Let’s spend our lives saying, “Thank you” rather than, “Am I worthy?” The more we slow down and actually savor grace, the more wisdom we gain to release the unimportant and steward only what’s necessary. Like a great, flowing river.

It is written, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

Do you belong to the world or to God?

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality
Home » Christian Spirituality
do you belong to the world or to God? The Bible says that we are not of this world.

Do you belong to the World or to God? And how do you even know?

I sit here in my office this morning, reading through John and listening to some incredible worship music. I can’t think of a better way to begin the day. As I was reading through John 7, I came to this verse, verse 7, in which Jesus says to his very own brothers who did not believe in him yet: “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.” 

Thoughts:

  1. The world did not hate Jesus’ brothers yet, because they did not know God, and they were not following Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Therefore, they lived according to the world’s standards. Moreover, they were not sharing the truth of God’s Word with others which would have put them at odds with the world.

Jesus said in John 15:18-19, 21, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you… They will treat this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.” 

Do you belong to the world, or to God? If you belong to the world, are you sensing any of its hatred toward your Christian stance?

  1. Why does the world hate Jesus so much? Look at verse 7 again: “But it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.” Jesus stood against the culture. He spoke the truth in love. This is what He calls each one of us to do. The culture we now live in is anti-God, anti-truth, and anti-anything to do with Jesus and His word, the Bible. The Bible speaks against the evil in this world. Just read Romans 1:18-32. Verse 32 says, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things (evil practices mentioned in verses 26-31) deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
  2. Warning: The world is going to continue its downward spiral. It will stand more and more in opposition to God and His true followers. Thus, in the coming days, as followers of Christ, we must be prepared to face more and more hatred and persecution. Are you really willing to follow Jesus and pay the cost? Am I really willing to follow Jesus and pay the cost? The answer should be that we, with the Spirit’s power and courage, will say along with Martin Luther, “Here I stand! I can do no other!”

Let’s be praying for each other that we will be true to our calling and follow Jesus wherever He leads us, no matter the cost.

A guest post by Russ Andrews, Founder of Finding Purpose Ministry. You can learn more about his work and mission here: https://findingpurpose.net

Should We Follow Our Hearts?

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality
Home » Christian Spirituality
should we follow our hearts? The Bible says no, we shouldn't.

We hear over and over again in modern culture, to follow our hearts. But should we really follow our hearts?

It is written, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Our hearts, in their fallen condition, are deceitful above all things. Idol-making comes naturally to all people. Even good things can become idols when they take first place in our hearts.

Rather than trust our own hearts, we are to commit our hearts to God. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) This Bible verse gives us specific instructions not to trust ourselves and it also gives us a promise of guidance when we instead choose to follow the Lord.

The Bible makes it clear that if we follow our hearts, we follow an untrustworthy guide. It also tells us that our hearts are desperately sick. There’s no way for us to repair our hearts. This is why, when we become Christians, we’re given a new heart.

But that doesn’t mean that we can rely on our hearts once we’ve come to faith in Jesus Christ. Even as believers, we’re encouraged to follow God’s will over our own desires. The Bible teaches us that, “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (Galatians 5:17)

We have an all powerful, all knowing, benevolent Lord who promises to give us wisdom. (James 1:5) And we also have His inspired and inerrant Word written down for us. So why then would we turn our backs on God and His promises in order to pursue the desires of our heart? It is better to align our desires with the promises of our Lord. And we do this through the daily practice of studying the written Word of God. This way, we can properly discern between the desires of our flesh and the desires of the Spirit.

I highly recommend daily Bible reading to deepen your faith. If you have any questions about the Bible, http://www.gotquestions.org is a great resource!

The Song of The Seed

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality, Poetry

Below is a rendition of The Song of The Seed by Macrina Wiederkehr

the song of the seed is a poem by Macrina Wiederkehr

Life unfolds
A petal at a time,
slowly.

The beauty of the process is crippled when I try to hurry growth.
Life has its inner rhythm which must be respected.
It cannot be rushed or hurried.

Like daylight stepping out of darkness,
like morning creeping out of night,
life unfolds slowly a petal at a time

God’s call unfolds
A Word at a time,
slowly.

A disciple is not made in a hurry.
Slowly I become like the One to whom I am listening.

Life unfolds
a petal at a time
like you and I
becoming followers of Jesus,
discipled into a new way of living
deeply and slowly.

Be patient with life’s unfolding petals.
If you hurry the bud, it withers.

Each unfolding is a teaching
a movement of grace filled with silent pauses, breathtaking beauty, tears and heartaches.

Life unfolds
a petal at a time
deeply and slowly

By Macrina Wiederkehr

If you enjoyed this poem, “The Song of the Seed” by Macrina Wiederkehr, I highly recommend learning more about her and her work here: http://www.macrinawiederkehr.com/

Paul was Chosen

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality
Home » Christian Spirituality
Paul was chosen. Want to be disciple of Christ? We can learn a lot from his chosen ones, like Paul.

Paul was chosen, yet he was opposed. Be prepared to stand in the face of withering opposition. Remain bold, even when you’re mocked.

Paul was chosen, yet God took nearly two decades to prepare him. Don’t waste your white space. These in between times are often when God is doing His best work in preparing you.

Paul was chosen, yet he suffered. Suffering is one of God’s greatest tools that He uses to train us. Suffering breeds the very thing that ends it; compassion.

Stand amazed at God’s love for you in His darkest hour. And then believe in His love for you in your darkest hours.

To learn more about the life of Paul, I highly recommend you read the Bible. If you have any questions about the Bible, http://www.gotquestions.org is a great resource!

God Chose Me – Charles Spurgeon

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality
Home » Christian Spirituality
a portrait of Charles spurgeon who wrote the inspired thoughts. I have no question that God chose me.

I have no question that God chose me. How can I be so sure? Because I believe in Him and Jesus Christ as my Savior. I could not have come to this belief by my own free will. It can only be explained by the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s grace at work within me.

I am quite certain that He chose me because if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him. And it must be true in my case that He chose me before I was born, because He certainly would never have chosen me afterwards.

And I know that He elected me for reasons unbeknownst to me, because I could never find any reason in myself why He should look upon me with such unconditional love.

(Writing inspired by the words of Charles Spurgeon)

To read more about Charles Spurgeon and his work, I highly recommend you check out this website: https://www.spurgeon.org/

What Does The Bible Say About Love?

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality
Home » Christian Spirituality
What does the Bible say about love? Come deepen your faith and understanding of the Bible and God's perfect love.

What does the Bible say about love? The Bible has a great deal to say about love. In fact, the Bible says that “love is of God” and “God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) Therefore, everything God does is influenced by His love.

The Bible says that God is motivated by love to save the world. God’s love is on full display in the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Accordingly, God’s love does not require us to be “worthy” to receive it.

The Bible says that, since true love is part of God’s nature, God is the source of love. He’s the initiator of a loving relationship with us. Any love we have for God is simply a response to His sacrificial love for us.

The Bible says that we should love others the way that God loves us. We are to love the family of God and our enemies. As we show gracious and selfless love, we reflect God’s love to a lost and dying world.

The Bible says that perfect love drives out fear. That nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. In other words, God’s love doesn’t wax and wane. It’s not a fickle, emotional sensation.

In 1 Corinthians 13, we can read love’s characteristics: love is patient and kind; love doesn’t envy, boast, or dishonor others; love is not proud or self-seeking; love is not easily angered, doesn’t keep a record of wrongs, and doesn’t delight in evil; rather, love rejoices with the truth; love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres; love never fails. Of the greatest of God’s gifts, faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love.

Our human understanding of love is flawed, weak, and incomplete, but the more we look at Jesus, the better we can understand true love. I highly recommend checking out www.gotquestions.org to learn more about the Bible and have many of your questions answered. Happy Valentine’s Day!

That’s My King!

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality

That’s My King

– S.M. Lockridge

The Bible says
He’s the King of the Jews
He’s the King of Israel
He’s the King of Righteousness
He’s the King of the Ages
He’s the King of Heaven
He’s the King of Glory
He’s the King of Kings
and He is the Lord of Lords

Now that’s my King!
David says
The Heavens declare the glory of God
And the firmament showeth His handiwork
No means of measure can define His limitless love
No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing

He’s enduringly strong
He’s entirely sincere
He’s eternally steadfast
He’s immortally graceful
He’s imperially powerful
He’s impartially merciful

That’s my King!
He’s God’s Son
He’s the sinners’ Saviour
He’s the centrepiece of civilisation
He stands alone in Himself
He’s august
He’s unique
He’s unparalleled
He’s unprecedented
He’s supreme
He’s pre-eminent
He’s the loftiest idea in literature
He’s the highest personality in philosophy
He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism
He’s the fundamental doctrine in true theology
He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion

That’s my King!
He’s the miracle of the age
He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him
He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously
He supplies strength for the weak
He’s available for the tempted and the tried
He sympathises and He saves
He guards and He guides
He heals the sick
He cleansed the lepers
He forgives sinners
He discharges debtors
He delivers the captives
He defends the feeble
He blesses the young
He serves the unfortunate
He regards the aged
He rewards the diligent
And He beautifies the meek

Do you know Him?
My King is the key of knowledge
He’s the wellspring of wisdom
He’s the doorway of deliverance
He’s the pathway of peace
He’s the roadway of righteousness
He’s the highway of holiness
He’s the gateway of glory
He’s the master of the mighty
He’s the captain of the conquerors
He’s the head of the heroes
He’s the leader of the legislators
He’s the overseer of the overcomers
He’s the governor of governors
He’s the prince of princes
He’s the King of Kings
And He’s the Lord of Lords

That’s my King
That’s my King!
My King
His office is manifold
His promise is sure
His life is matchless
His goodness is limitless
His mercy is everlasting
His love never changes
His word is enough
His grace is sufficient
His reign is righteous
His yoke is easy
and His burden is light
I wish I could describe Him to you
He’s indescribable
He’s indescribable
He’s incomprehensible
He’s invincible
He’s irresistible
I’m trying to tell you
The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him
Let alone a man explain Him
You can’t get Him out of your mind
You can’t get Him off of your hands
You can’t outlive Him
And you can’t live without Him
The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him
but they found out they couldn’t stop Him
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree
And Herod couldn’t kill Him
Death couldn’t handle Him
And the grave couldn’t hold Him

That’s my King!
He always has been
And He always will be
I’m talking about
He had no predecessor
and He’ll have no successor
There was nobody before Him
and there’ll be nobody after Him
You can’t impeach Him
and He’s not going to resign

That’s my King!
Praise the Lord
That’s my King
Thine is the Kingdom
And the power
And the glory
The glory is all His
Thine is the Kingdom
And the power
And the glory
For ever
And ever
And ever
And when you get through with all of the forevers
Then
Amen

God’s Gym is Now Open

Posted on by under Christian Spirituality

Below is a guest blog post from my father, Jim Anthony. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. 😉

Believers in the United States and around the world have always been invited into God’s Gymnasium for faith training. Some, but not enough, know that our personal trainer is the Holy Spirit. We get to choose to join the gym or not, or meet our trainer or not. The obvious fact is that we as a people have been mortally out of shape. God sees it and now is His appointed Time for transformation, and an intensive spiritual fitness challenge is calling to us. 

Blissfully fat on false faith, empty hope, lustful love, fanned fear, and misplaced trust in the world and its idols, we desperately need the severe exercises of God-sourced faith, hope, and love, all placed squarely on the one and only truly healthy object: God Himself.

We have been reliant on our eyes and what they see, mesmerized by materialism, deceived by our hope in human authorities, and malnourished by the junk food of earth. We need the Bread and treasure of Heaven, the Reign of our King, and the real Faith that leads us through fear and darkness.

Exercising our spiritual muscles actually strengthens our physical, emotional, and intellectual muscles. We can and will live victoriously rather than as slaves once we get ourselves back in shape, and “In shape” is Biblically defined as “In Him.”

Here’s a few of the exercise routines presented to us daily:
        1.      Pray for our enemies. That prayer can and must include their defeat and destruction.  
        2.      Recognize we are not fighting flesh and blood, but powers of darkness. 
        3.      Use supernatural discernment. See the lost souls God loves behind the monster masks. 
        4.      Learn how to wage spiritual warfare, using all the spiritual gifts, such as worship and the Word of God as both a shield and weaponry. 
        5.      Trust that God’s plan will prevail. Choose faith over fear. 
        6.      Learn to see, hear, think and speak with His eyes, ears, mind and mouth. 
        7.      Find your strength in His Holy Spirit, not in your body or self. 

So we must go to the God’s Gym every moment of every day to get instruction and personal training. Ask Him for the training you need, and He will train you. Listen to Him, and act accordingly. “How can I hear him,” you might ask? In the deep quiet of your soul/mind/heart, you will hear his Revelatory voice. Look for God-incidences and divine appointments on a daily basis. Listen for His voice through others. Read the signs of the times and events in your life and those around you. Ask Him to explain it all to you and He will. Make sure that you make time to listen, internalize, and then act. 

As we do this, Heaven will manifest itself on earth, His Kingdom will come, and His will shall be done, in your world as it is being done in heaven. 

His workouts are worth it. 

You can read more of his work over on his blog – Waking Up the Walking Dead.