Recently I was asked if I thought our world was becoming more argumentative. Although I don’t have any hard data on the issue, it does often seem to be the case. [If you want my full response to the question you can click on the link below.] What I can say is that:-we are in … Continue reading The whirlwind of argumentativeness
Author: Matthew Ruttan
The feels
Have you ever heard someone say that something gives them “the feels”? It means that something has given then a really really good feeling. Maybe it’s an emotional song, receiving a heart-felt compliment, or a soul-satisfying conversation with a best friend. Today I’m here to notify you about the feel of all feels. Here it … Continue reading The feels
Borrowed light
This past Sunday at church, several people shared video statements about being part of a small group. [Link below.] A small group is where people get together to study God’s teachings in the Bible, to discuss and learn, to get to know one another, and to pray. I am so thankful that they took the time … Continue reading Borrowed light
What you’re doing impacts how you’re doing
What you’re doing impacts how you’re doing. Or, put another way, what you’re doing influences how you’re feeling. A 2013 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology discovered that if you listen to upbeat music it can improve your mood. How many of you have felt lighter after listening to a stand-up comedian? How many … Continue reading What you’re doing impacts how you’re doing
The secret recipe to progress
When it comes to following Jesus we want to make progress. We want to pray more wholeheartedly, serve more freely, love more quickly, and believe more robustly. We want to see spiritual growth. So let me share a thought that has been helpful for me: Consistency is the secret recipe to progress. When we are … Continue reading The secret recipe to progress
To unbosom the soul
Near the end of The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter says that we live in a “vain, vexatious world.”* Can I get an Amen! He talks about how hard it can be to live in this world, and also how soul-satisfying it can be to talk to a best friend. Some you have a best … Continue reading To unbosom the soul
Regardless of our circumstances
What if some of our prayers were somehow misdirected? What if, instead of seeking God’s will within us, our prayers were always focused on lesser things? After facing dangerous opposition, what did the disciples pray for in Acts 4:23-31? Did they pray for a day at the spa, or for their persecutors to take a … Continue reading Regardless of our circumstances
Who do you want me to love for you today?
In 1 John 3:14 we read: “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other.” In World War Two, Japan occupied Korea. There were religious shrines set up all over the place and people were expected to bow down to them. Esther Ahn Kim was a Christian who refused. … Continue reading Who do you want me to love for you today?
IHS: Integrity Holiness Simplicity
A man was walking through a cemetery and saw a tombstone engraved with I.H.S. He wasn’t sure what it meant so he thought for a minute and then took a guess. “Integrity. Holiness. Simplicity.” These were good biblical things, he thought. As a result, they became a kind of personal motto. Every time he saw … Continue reading IHS: Integrity Holiness Simplicity
Radical generosity
Much is made of the radical generosity of those first followers of Jesus. Acts 2:44-45 tells us that “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” Not everyone did this (as other stories show), but many of them did. It was … Continue reading Radical generosity
