The Cross

Jesus on the cross

The cross is the defining feature of our time and of all time. It was a singular act taking place just outside of Jerusalem during a long six hours one Friday afternoon. It was a time when the institutions of state, religion, and the Kingdom of God were all nailed together on a rough piece of timber as the most dramatic and genuine act of love was carried out. Jesus of Nazareth, betrayed, denied, and nearly abandoned by all his disciples, was executed by Rome,

Exchanged for Barabbas,

Tried in a mockery of a court.

Arrested by the very men, He by rights was the leader and king.

A  paradigm shift, the great exchange, and a cosmic upset were about to take place. This singular act of obedience stands in stark contrast to the bold feats of faith that came before it. Noah’s Ark, Moses parting the sea, David conquering Goliath; all seem to outshine the humble cross in every way. They play the hero while Jesus suffered a humiliating, criminal, and excruciating death.

Jesus was known for his parables, his exhortations on truth, love, and the Kingdom of God. He instructed us on how to hear from God, how to pray, the importance of forgiving others, and the necessity of repentance. Jesus was equally known for his miracles. He healed the lame, the blind, the deaf, the withered, the diseased, the broken, and the possessed.

Demons were exercised, storms calmed, seas tamed; bread, fish, and water were blessed, transformed, and multiplied. With one command, He raised the dead back to life.

Like the twisted thorns that crowned his head, His miraculous married His ministry at the cross. The Debt that all men owe was paid in full, once and for all. The eternal aided the temporal. At the cross. Jesus offers his final message and performs his greatest miracle, the salvation of mankind through the forgiveness of sin.

The Heart of Real Communication: Value, Connection, and Listening

Real Communication goes beyond texting, calling adn other digital media.

In our fast-paced world, communication often feels rushed—texts fired off between tasks, meetings packed with bullet points, and conversations dominated by waiting to speak rather than truly hearing. But real communication, the kind that builds trust and strengthens relationships, starts with one powerful idea: valuing others.

When we genuinely value the people we’re speaking with, our tone changes. We speak with respect, not just to be polite but because we care. We ask questions because we’re curious, not just to fill space. We’re present, not distracted. Valuing someone means giving them our attention and recognizing that their thoughts, experiences, and feelings are just as real and important as ours.

From there, communication becomes easier when we find common ground. Shared experiences, whether they’re big or small, create a bridge between people. It might be as simple as discovering you’ve both had the same frustrating morning commute or grew up watching the same cartoons. These moments remind us that underneath our differences, we’re more alike than we think. And when people feel that connection, they’re more open, more trusting, and more likely to truly engage in conversation. But none of that matters if we don’t truly listen.

Good listening is more than being quiet while someone else talks. It’s about being actively present—paying attention not just to words but to tone, body language, and emotion. It’s resisting the urge to jump in with our own story or advice. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can say in a conversation is simply, “Tell me more.”

By combining valuing others, finding common experiences, and practicing deep listening, we move from surface-level exchanges to meaningful communication. This approach helps in every setting—whether you’re navigating tough conversations at work, building stronger friendships, or deepening connections at home.

At its core, good communication isn’t about being the most articulate speaker or having the best arguments. It’s about creating a space where people feel seen, heard, and respected.

Start there, and everything else flows naturally.

communication, empathy, listening, connection, relationships

5 Tips To Build Influence

Building Influence

Sphere of Influence

Everyone has a sphere of people in their lives, including family, friends, church members, coworkers, clients, etc. It is our goal, as we obey Christ, to reach our neighbors. These are people you can influence for the Kingdom of God. To do so, we must build a platform where we earn the right to speak into people's lives.

In an age of technology, when we communicate by text, IM, email, and social media, we have lost real communication. Good communication is built on connecting well with others, which comes through valuing them. You can’t move people to action unless you first move them with emotion.

“Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.” —John C. Maxwell

How do you build influence?

1. Value others.

   “This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’” —Matthew 22:38-39 TPT

   It's not always easy. People can be annoying—rude, selfish, ignorant, mean, godless, etc. Yet God wants all people to confess that Jesus alone is Lord. We need to value others as God values them. Everyone is worthy of His grace and love. Let’s be conduits of His compassion and mercy. Ask God for a greater love for Him and your neighbor. Ask Him to pour His love for the world into your heart.

   “You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” —Luke 6:36 NLT

2. Walk in humility.
   Pride and arrogance are natural turnoffs when speaking to others. A know-it-all is an insufferable person to be around. Pride is a terrible driver. Humility opens the door for grace from God as well as with others. Humility will allow you to speak into someone else’s situation.

3. Take an interest.
   Taking an interest in others makes them feel special, valued, and wanted. Taking an interest is like putting credit in the bank. It encourages and supports others, and then, when it’s your turn to talk or share the truth of the Word, you will have something in the bank to withdraw.

4. Ask questions.
   This is an extension of number three. Asking questions shows your interest, demonstrates that you care, and keeps the focus on others rather than yourself.

5. Listen to understand, not to respond.
   Too many people listen just to have a snappy comeback, especially Christians who want to argue their faith or political points. We know we’re right, or we have a scripture to prove it, or we have some apologetics ready—but those answers will only be effective if we truly understand the other person’s position. We don’t have to agree with them, but we should seek to understand them.

As we practice the love of God within our sphere of influence, we will build a platform from which we can naturally and confidently share the message of Christ and give an account for the hope that is within us.

Put Fight Back In Your Faith

“I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”-Philippians 3:14 NLT

Ready for Battle

Notice that the scripture here says PRESS. We must do something on our end. We must aspire to know Christ and make Him known. Perseverance/Endurance is the lost art of Christianity. Faith and Patience are the power twins. Faith believes God. Patience or perseverance carries it out.

Perseverance puts the fight back into faith.

Faith Works by Putting Action to it.

James 1:2-4. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

12. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

25. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

James 2:26 ESV For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

God wants to do something great, but He is waiting on you. Your hands, your feet, and your will align with His Will.

“Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 AMP

I remember when my dad lay in the hospital with COVID-19 starving for oxygen. We couldn’t see him, we were still in China. We felt led to stay and finish our work. But as the days lingered, I prayed about going home early to see my dad. Another challenge was that it was during the Pandemic and it would be hard to get in to see him anyways. My mom was the boots on the ground as she took him his Bible but he responded that he was too weak to read it or even pray! Covid had sapped him of all his energy and will. It was terrible to hear about my dad in such a state and we could do nothing about it. We couldn’t do anything in the natural but we turned to the Lord the God our healer. We persevered in prayer.

We in the Spirit joined hands, and through prayer and standing on God’s Word, we said, “You’re going to make it; don’t back down, don’t give up, stay the fight” We believed in the God who heals and who makes a way. Finally, COVID was beaten and my Dad was released from the hospital. Though he could not fight for himself he was surrounded by those who knew how to persevere in faith.