In the inspirational movie Overcomer, a basketball coach named John Harrison loses his team. Coaching basketball has become such a major part of his identity that it really shakes him. He’s also a part of his church’s visitation team. In one scene, he visits a man at the hospital. The man asks him who he … Continue reading Who are you, really?
Author: Matthew Ruttan
Fighting fear
Fear. It's all around us, most recently with coronavirus. Here are 3 suggested responses for God's people.
Praying for ‘little things’
In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul writes: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Sometimes we think that God only wants to hear about … Continue reading Praying for ‘little things’
When there are barking dogs all around you
A high school basketball team was behind by one point with just seconds left in the game. So they came up with a clever play. They had possession of the ball. When the referee blew the whistle to resume play, they threw the ball inbounds to a player close to the basket. But at the … Continue reading When there are barking dogs all around you
Going Thud on the metaphorical ground
I once heard a story about a 5-year old boy who lived on a farm. His parents were harsh, especially his father. It was a brick farm house with a large porch that wrapped around the front. In those days there weren’t always railings so children had to be careful, especially since it was about … Continue reading Going Thud on the metaphorical ground
Finding Jesus in daily life
My kids went through a stage of loving the “Where’s Waldo?” books. They were large search-and-find books. You looked through intricately detailed pictures to find Waldo—a guy wearing a toque, a red and white striped shirt, and blue jeans. Sometimes—actually, a lot of times—he’s hard to find. Maybe it’s a strange comparison but Jesus can … Continue reading Finding Jesus in daily life
When you stand out
A lot of people in North American don’t realize it, but according to Open Doors Canada, 260 million Christians around the world experience high levels of persecution because of their faith in Christ. Globally, that’s about 1 in every 8 Christians. “Every day, an average of eight Christians are killed for their faith and 23 … Continue reading When you stand out
True commitment to the King—AND his Kingdom
Followers of Jesus can rightly be accused of hypocrisy if nothing changes in their lives after they start to believe in and follow him. Your eternal standing with God isn’t based on how morally good you are, of course, or on your ability to meet Jesus’ high ethical standards; it’s based on your faith in … Continue reading True commitment to the King—AND his Kingdom
Not made of stuff that sinks
Speaking to his disciples, Jesus said: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth… you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). There was a cork who was having a great time just … Continue reading Not made of stuff that sinks
My sheep listen to my voice
A group of young people saw a downhill skier going down the hill with someone else super close behind them. The skier in the front was an instructor. They were yelling instructions to the person behind: “Left, right, straight, right.” Thinking it would be funny to mess them up, the youth started calling out their … Continue reading My sheep listen to my voice
