God will always seem unjust or even evil to those who harbor evil in their hearts. For those who choose rebellion, who resist His ways, their view of God will be shaped by their own discontent and defiance. They will interpret His actions through the lens of their own bitterness and self-interest, often seeing only punishment or restriction, when in reality, God’s ways are rooted in love and justice. But for those who love Him, God’s nature is one of infinite grace, kindness, and understanding. He is gentle with those who are gentle, and His love draws near to those who seek Him with open hearts.

Trusting in God is where the miraculous starts. Perhaps you’ve carried certain habits or struggles since childhood, accepting them as part of who you are. But trusting God means saying, “Jesus, I don’t want this anymore. I know it’s holding me back from fully living for You. I believe You are a miracle worker, and I trust You to remove it from my life.” In that moment, we place our burdens in God's hands, no longer fighting the battle alone.

Being in the Spirit of God is a lot like trying to find your way to a new café in a city you've never visited before. At first, you’re a little lost—maybe you get turned around, take a wrong street, or even have to ask a local for directions. If you’re tech-savvy (or just need reassurance), you pull out your phone and let Google Maps guide you. You're feeling a bit uncertain, and every turn feels like an adventure in “how did I end up here?” But after some wandering and trial and error, you finally arrive. Success!

A great teacher isn’t just about knowing the material or impressing others with their teaching methods. The real magic happens when a teacher shifts focus from their own success to the student’s success. Instead of striving for accolades or basking in the glow of their students' achievements as proof of their own greatness, an exceptional teacher is focused on something much more powerful: helping students unlock their own potential, and become the best versions of themselves—not for praise, but for their own personal growth.

Life is a lot like a game of chess. Every decision we make—no matter how small—shapes the spiritual journey we’re on. Each thought, action, or choice we make has the potential to draw us closer to God or pull us further away. But when we align ourselves with God’s will, something incredible happens: doors open to a deeper, more fulfilling life—one that’s rooted in His purpose for us. And as we keep making choices that reflect His will, those doors keep opening, often creating a ripple effect that helps us overcome challenges and empowers others to do the same.

"Working out our salvation" or "growing in the Spirit" is like hitting the gym for your soul—it’s about putting in the work, enduring the struggle, and pushing beyond your comfort zone to build real strength. Just like lifting weights requires intentional effort and discipline, spiritual growth demands time, dedication, and a willingness to embrace challenges. But here's the thing: just as there are shortcuts in the gym, there are shortcuts in our spiritual lives too—ones that seem easier but ultimately won’t lead to true transformation.

We all have desires, and I believe that God has placed desires in our hearts for a purpose. Desires are not inherently bad—they are part of the divine design, woven into the very fabric of who we are. However, there are two types of desires: desires of the flesh and desires of the Spirit. The desires of the flesh often distort and corrupt the true desires that come from God’s Spirit. The ultimate fulfillment of our hearts comes from aligning our desires with God's will, but when we allow the flesh to lead, it often turns what could be a pure desire into something destructive.

Why are so many men and women struggling with gender and identity issues today? It’s a question that’s on many minds, and one that points to a much deeper issue than just outward appearances or labels. The struggle often goes beyond our physical traits; it’s about how we express ourselves, the roles we play, and the way we relate to others. Our society has put a lot of pressure on what it means to be a “man” or a “woman,” and in doing so, it’s left many people feeling lost or confused about their own identity. But the truth is that men and women were both created in the image of God, with unique purpose and value. And when we begin to embrace our identity in that context, we can experience greater peace and understanding.

One of the biggest challenges we face, both personally and as a society, is the belief that we are inherently good. Many of us understand and admire qualities like peace, patience, kindness, love, and empathy—qualities that come from God. But here's the deception: we often start to think that because we exhibit some of these characteristics, we have somehow become the “good ones,” and that others are the ones with the problems we can fix. This is a dangerous mindset. It leads us to believe that we have the answers to life’s struggles apart from Christ, and in doing so, we become blind to the deeper layers of sin in our lives. We might even convince ourselves that our own “goodness” is actually a reflection of God working through us, when in reality, it may simply be our ego trying to appear righteous.

The Lord is glory itself. Picture, if you will, the most awe-inspiring sight you've ever witnessed, or the most beautiful, soul-stirring moment you've experienced. The warmth of a loved one's embrace, the sunrise over a tranquil sea, or standing at the edge of a vast, endless horizon. Even these, in their splendor, are but pale shadows compared to the overwhelming glory of the Lord. Imagine standing before the awe-inspiring vastness of the Grand Canyon, where the sheer scale takes your breath away, and yet, there’s an undercurrent of fear, a sense of vulnerability, knowing how deep and perilous the canyon is. The grandeur and majesty of that view, stunning though it is, could never compare to the infinite glory of God.

When we lift our voices in worship, we are not just singing songs—we are offering ourselves to the Spirit of God. Worship is the act of aligning our hearts with the Divine, of connecting with the source of all that is pure, beautiful, and powerful. What we choose to worship shapes who we become. Have you ever considered why we might resist this transformation? More often than not it is because we are afraid of exposing what makes us vulnerable. When we have enough faith to open our hearts to God, He begins to transform us into beings of light, shedding the darkness within us.

God, in His infinite nature, exists beyond the constraints of time, space, and matter. His essence transcends the physical laws that govern our universe, and our limited, earthly minds struggle to grasp the full reality of His being. We are bound by time, unable to fully comprehend a God who is outside of its flow—one who sees all of history, past, present, and future, as if it were a single moment. This difficulty in understanding stems not from any fault in the divine, but from our human limitations. Yet, in His grace, God has given us free will, allowing us to choose our paths on this earth, to act as we wish, within the confines of the world He has made.

Religion is often about following a set of rules, while a genuine relationship with God is about a living, transformative connection. Religion can be seen as going through religious rituals, like attending church, seeking to feel clean but leaving unchanged. It’s about outward appearances, doing what’s expected, yet missing the deep transformation that only comes through a personal relationship with God. Jesus warned about this in Matthew 15:8: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Religion can sometimes focus on external acts without addressing the heart, but a true relationship with God begins in the heart and transforms everything from the inside out.

Have you ever experienced the refreshing feeling of a shower after an intense workout, where sweat and dirt are washed away, leaving you feeling renewed and fresh? After that cleansing moment, you step out of the shower, dry off, put on clean clothes, and settle into comfort, feeling a sense of peace and renewal. In the same way, this is how we should feel spiritually when we receive Christ. Just as a shower washes away the grime and discomfort of the body, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from the filth of sin that weighs on our soul.

I vividly remember the first time I met Sasha Hallock. It was at a charming café in Fort Greene, and the late fall air was quite cold. As soon as I arrived, Sasha handed me a warm cup of coffee and a freshly baked croissant, which made the chilly day feel a little more bearable. Our conversation quickly turned to faith, and I found myself being open about my doubts in God and Jesus. Growing up in the church, I had eventually walked away from my faith, not out of a desire to rebel, but in search of something I felt I had been missing. I wanted to experience the world in its entirety, including things I thought I had been keeping myself from in my pursuit of purity. This led to unhealthy behaviors, from casual relationships to drinking and smoking, but at the heart of it, I was searching for truth.

As the evening light of a fall sunset pours through the window, a baby’s cry echoes softly through the room. The little one is restless, her tiny face scrunched in frustration, her small hands reaching out, grasping for something—anything—that will make the discomfort stop. The room is filled with the sound of her crying, yet there is a quiet beauty in the scene. It’s a reminder that even in our moments of need, there is something deeply profound unfolding in the simplest acts of love and care.

As interest in spirituality grows globally, many are becoming aware of a reality beyond the natural world. Since ancient times, cultures have sensed that unseen forces shape our lives and influence our experiences. As more people explore this spiritual dimension, there is an emerging belief that, just as we can transform our physical bodies in the gym, we can also strengthen and elevate our minds.

Christianity, at its core, is far more than a “religion” or a label assigned by society. It’s a worldview and way of life rooted in the understanding that every person is created in the image of God, imbued with unique dignity and purpose. Regardless of race, age, gender, economic class, or background, Christianity holds that each of us is equally loved and valuable in the eyes of God. Christianity presents God as the ultimate expression of love, and as we align ourselves with God’s character, we become more balanced, whole, and purposeful.

The Christian concept of “denying the flesh” is often misunderstood as harshly restrictive or unnatural, but it actually speaks to something far more meaningful: the pursuit of lasting fulfillment through self-mastery, purpose, and genuine love. While today’s world may equate freedom with satisfying every desire, this immediate gratification often leads to harmful consequences, especially in areas like sexuality. Christianity invites us to see self-control not as an arbitrary rule but as a profound pathway to joy, clarity, and wholeness in relationships.

When we shift our perspective and begin to see frustrations as God-given opportunities for spiritual freedom, our lives transform. Every roadblock becomes a moment of blessing, a chance to build resilience and refine our trust in God’s plan. This act of flipping the narrative—seeing frustrations not as hindrances but as gifts—enables us to walk in a new sense of purpose and clarity. By embracing our challenges as divinely appointed lessons, we move from a place of struggle to one of growth, from captivity to freedom.