Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
-James 4:7-8
We all have values that shape how we behave and what’s important to us. Values shape where you want to work, shop, live, and who you want to be in relationship with. But something has to determine our values. What’s at the center of our lives is what shapes our values. Thankfully, because of Jesus, it’s clear what’s at the center. However, the enemy tries to shift what’s at the center, which shifts our values. When Jesus is removed from our center, we replace it with ourselves, other people, money, materials, or our opinions. Then, our values are influenced by the thing that crept into the center.
In this passage of James, he’s saying, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you.” When we invite God into our lives, we’re drawing near to Him, and He always shows up to the places He’s invited! When the enemy starts to creep into our values, we have to take a moment to turn our focus back to Jesus. We re-center our values by re-centering Jesus, by taking a moment to stop and submit ourselves to God and invite Him into our lives.
There will be days that you have to re-center Jesus over and over again. Sometimes, the easiest part of your day is putting Jesus at the center. What matters most in your day-to-day is that you’re putting Jesus in his rightful place, inviting God into your life, and allowing him to be Lord of your values.
So, what’s at the center of your life? How does that shape what you value most?
The Christmas season brings peace, joy, and hope through Jesus. However, we often feel fear, worry, and anxiety because we idolize control instead of trusting the King of Kings. Our response to unexpected events reveals who we trust. In Scripture, King Herod clung to control, while Joseph, despite his fear, trusted God's plan. Joseph's story shows that fear can lead us to trust God rather than seek control.
Have you ever really wanted something—whether it was that relationship, that career, or that dream vacation—and once you got it, it didn’t satisfy you the way you thought it would? You convinced yourself that if you could just have that one thing, everything would fall into place, and you’d feel fulfilled. But when you finally reached it, you still felt like something was missing. We've all been there, haven’t we? We all have moments—sometimes fleeting, sometimes years long—when a sense of emptiness creeps in, leaving us wondering, “Is this it?” We get weary, discontent, and restless. But what if that very emptiness, that longing in your soul, is not a sign of failure, but an invitation? What if it’s God’s way of telling us that we were made for more—more than what this world can offer? What if this empty feeling is actually a gift from Him, an alarm in our hearts that signals we need to look beyond the temporary and seek the eternal? You were made for more than this world; you were made for a relationship with God!
Do you feel like life lacks meaning or purpose? Often, a self-centered approach can lead us into fear, worry, and isolation, pulling us away from the abundant life God intended. But there’s a better way—one rooted in radical generosity. At the heart of God’s design is a call to live a life modeled after His Kingdom—a life of generosity, connection, and trust in His provision. Discover what it means to embrace “Garden living,” where we return to God’s original plan and reflect His character in our everyday lives. Join us on this transformative journey and learn how Jesus invites us to experience the fullness of life through radical generosity!
In an isolated society where we want to pretend like we have it all together, it can be so hard to ask for help. Jesus stepped into our mess of a world and said He would give us HOLY HELP. The only way He can give us holy help is if we lean into His teachings. It’s not enough for us just to just want to be better, we have to actually practice daily rhythms that will help cement us into Kingdom culture characteristics. The important thing is that we are pouring the right thing into our hearts and not what the things that could hurt us. God gave us Scripture to show us exactly what we needed to follow! Help is here!
An anchor is defined as a person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability or security. The HOPE found in the Kingdom of God is anchored in the person of Jesus—our KING. Firm and secure, He breathes hope into the storms of life and connects us in a bond of unity that cannot be broken.
The Kingdom of God is full of HOPE. Unwavering hope is the belief that despite your past, Jesus can redeem your future. Hope is a major theme throughout the Bible because it is the core of the Gospel. Hope waters your soul and gives you strength and security for your future. When you put your hope in our risen Savior, it spills over into your marriages, families, careers, and future.
Hospitality isn’t just about sharing a meal or having a spotless home; it’s about inviting others into our lives, even the messy parts, so they can see Jesus in us. Southern hospitality says, 'Come on in and make yourself at home,' and that’s the heart of Christ too! When we welcome others with love and openness, we make them feel valued and seen – just as God welcomes us. Let’s look for ways to show that same love and let our homes and hearts be a reflection of Jesus. Who can you invite in to experience His love today?
God has made himself accessible to us through prayer. The very God of the universe that knows the hairs on our heads has given us access to His heart through prayer. We are given access to His power, but most of the time when it comes to our prayers, we think too little of God, too much of ourselves, or the opposite, we can belittle ourselves into not praying at all! God wants your bold prayers- wall falling, Lazarus rising, waters parting - to shake the rafters of Heaven.
