The name “Good Friday” can be confusing. What could be so “good” about a day filled with such sin, suffering, injustice, sorrow, rejection, and death? On Thursday night and Friday of Holy Week, Jesus Christ was overwhelmed with sorrow in the garden, betrayed by Judas, abandoned by His closest followers, arrested illegally, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, humiliated, condemned. He suffered an excruciating and shameful death for sins he did not commit. It was a horrible day for Jesus. The...

Spiritual maturity is often misunderstood. How do you know if you’re becoming more like Jesus?  Some think maturity means knowing more. Others think it means having increasingly longer quiet times, using the right vocabulary, or being able to debate the finer points of doctrine. Still others assume growth is measured by church attendance, ministry involvement, or how “blessed” their life appears. These are not bad things, but they are not the primary measures of spiritual maturity and growth...

“18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. 19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.”21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:18-21) That’s a striking command. Be...