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priorities

Worth chasing or worth missing?

September 11, 2020September 10, 2020 / Matthew Ruttan / Leave a comment

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways” (Psalm 119:15). What would you do if you were walking down the road, and all of a sudden everyone around you snapped to attention and started running after something down an adjacent street? I’m guessing that you’d be really intrigued. I’m also … Continue reading Worth chasing or worth missing?

A time to re-evaluate success

April 28, 2020April 27, 2020 / Matthew Ruttan / Leave a comment

What if you had a faulty understanding of success? If so, you’d probably have the wrong goals. And each day you’d probably miss the mark. In Deuteronomy 8:2 Moses was speaking to the Hebrews after they had wandered through the wilderness for forty years: “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way … Continue reading A time to re-evaluate success

A crisis creates clarity

April 8, 2020April 7, 2020 / Matthew Ruttan / 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

Intentional simplicity

March 19, 2020March 18, 2020 / Matthew Ruttan / Leave a comment

Many of us are living a new version of our own lives. Air travel is restricted, work and school patterns are shifting, and “social distancing” is now a real thing. In some respects, we are being forced into a simpler way of life—at least, for now. But did you know that living simply is actually … Continue reading Intentional simplicity

When there are barking dogs all around you

March 11, 2020March 10, 2020 / Matthew Ruttan / 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 / Matthew Ruttan / 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

Limited opportunities or eternal possibilities?

November 29, 2019November 28, 2019 / Matthew Ruttan / Leave a comment

This week I was reading Psalm 143:11 where David says, “For your name’s sake, LORD, let me live” (CSB). He was in trouble and called out to God for help. As a part of that, he asked God to let him live for the sake of his name. But what does that mean? It means … Continue reading Limited opportunities or eternal possibilities?

When things that seem fine are fatal

October 30, 2019October 29, 2019 / Matthew Ruttan / Leave a comment

In Mark 4:18-19 Jesus says that some people “hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” He’s describing people who don’t respond well to God’s word and message because of three things. Today we focus … Continue reading When things that seem fine are fatal

Does it choke it or stoke it?

October 28, 2019October 25, 2019 / Matthew Ruttan / Leave a comment

In Mark 4:18-19 Jesus says that some people “hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” He’s describing people who don’t respond well to God’s word and message because of three things. The one we’ll … Continue reading Does it choke it or stoke it?

Becoming less busy

September 5, 2019September 4, 2019 / Matthew Ruttan / Leave a comment

“Busyness” is a strange thing these days. On one hand, some people subconsciously take pride in telling others they’re “busy” because it projects the idea that they’re important. When one person asks another how they’re doing they often reply, “Good—busy, but good,” when in reality they’re no more busy than everyone else—but it just seems … Continue reading Becoming less busy

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