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focus

When nice things become ultimate things

June 27, 2022June 20, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Jesus said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). Last week we spent time talking about your soul and about how your soul has an appetite. Fill it with the wrong thing … Continue reading When nice things become ultimate things

Peace not panic

June 2, 2022June 1, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

In the epic story Moby Dick, there is a turbulent scene where a whaleboat races to try and catch the great whale. The scene is frantic. Sailors are yelling and working hard. The enraged Captain Ahab is at the helm. But one person is calm amidst the chaos. He is steady and focused. It’s the … Continue reading Peace not panic

The monks were clearly playing by different rules

February 28, 2022February 27, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

A story is told from the Vietnam War. A platoon was hunkered down in some rice paddies in the heat of a firefight. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a group of six monks started walking through the middle of the field between the two sides. David Busch recounts the scene: “They didn’t look right, … Continue reading The monks were clearly playing by different rules

Stay centred

October 20, 2021October 19, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

A man answered a challenge to ride a remote control bull. He got on and started to ride. He thought he was doing pretty well, getting jolted this way and that. It had twelve levels so he was a bit shocked to learn that he had only managed to navigate level one! The operator had … Continue reading Stay centred

A distracted lifestyle vs focus

July 12, 2021July 9, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Someone told me they had a squirrel’s attention span, meaning that their focus ping-ponged from this to that, regardless of what this or that was. Unfortunately, distraction is the air we breathe these days. It’s hard to avoid. We are continually interrupted, bombarded with information and advertising, or the next shiny new thing. Alan Noble … Continue reading A distracted lifestyle vs focus

Training… for godliness

February 18, 2021February 17, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

We are now in Lent—the period of preparation leading up to Easter. Some people “give something up” for Lent. Think of it like spiritual training. Just how an athlete might make certain sacrifices to train for a big event, so too is there a tradition of Christians making certain sacrifices at this time of year … Continue reading Training… for godliness

Focusing on good and godly things (a tip)

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

If you focus your mind on good and godly things, your mind will be focused on good and godly things. Makes sense, right? But if you focus your mind on negative and ungodly things, your mind will be focused on negative and ungodly things! To the Philippians, Paul says: “whatever is true, whatever is noble, … Continue reading Focusing on good and godly things (a tip)

A crisis creates clarity

April 8, 2020April 7, 2020 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

A crisis tends to create clarity about what’s important. Many of the things we were really concerned about even two months ago are now way down the priority list. We’re now dealing with essentials. And what is essential? Our hope in God. And the people around us. Sure, there are other things. But those are … Continue reading A crisis creates clarity

When there are barking dogs all around you

March 11, 2020March 10, 2020 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

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

The antidote to human rivalry

January 16, 2020January 15, 2020 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Rivalry is a bigger part of our lives than we often realize. Maybe you have an actual rival, someone you’re always competing with—maybe in sports, at school, or in the office. And although what I’m about to say can apply to those situations, let’s think more broadly. It’s easy to continually compare ourselves to others. … Continue reading The antidote to human rivalry

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When a relationship becomes TOO central to your soul
When nice things become ultimate things
Gorging on the right things, or the wrong things?
Hearing ‘a still small voice’ over the roar of your appetites

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