Category: Over The Hump

Some time ago, an 18-year-old girl from Washington State attended a church service in her local community. For the first time in her life, she heard the gospel message from John 3:16-17. The following week, the church received a letter from her. It read:

“Dear Church Members,
Last Sunday, I visited your church and listened to your preacher. He said that all people have sinned against God and, because of their sin, they all face eternal separation from Him. But then he said that God loves all people and sent His only Son, Jesus, into the world to redeem mankind from their sins. He explained that all who believe in Him by faith, confess their sins, and invite Jesus into their lives will go to heaven and live with God for eternity. That was encouraging to hear.

Sadly, my parents died last month. I know they did not believe in Jesus Christ. If what you believe is true, they are in hell today. This compels me to believe that you either don’t truly believe this message yourselves or that you don’t care. You see, we lived just one block from your church, and no one ever told us.”

Listen closely: this story must not happen.

As Christians, sharing the Good News of Jesus’ love, forgiveness, and redemption is not an optional part of your faith—it is your central calling. The Gospel, which means “Good News,” is the heart of the Christian message. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate demonstrations of God’s love for humanity, providing the only way to salvation and eternal life.

Life is uncertain, and you do not know how much time you have. This makes the message of Jesus urgent. As a follower of Christ, you are called to be His ambassador. It’s non-negotiable. Being an ambassador means representing Christ in your words, actions, and attitudes. It means living in such a way that others see Jesus in you and are drawn to Him. Sharing the Good News is not just about living a life that reflects the transformative power of God’s love—it’s also about speaking up, going out, and telling others about the Gospel.

Sharing the Good News of Jesus’ love, forgiveness, and redemption is both a responsibility and a privilege. It is the means through which God reaches the spiritually lost and brings them into His family. And He wants to use you!

If you’re a Christian, a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ, you are called to step out in faith, trusting that the Holy Spirit will guide you, give you the words to speak, and prepare the hearts of those who need to hear.

You have Good News—share it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Be faithful in sharing the hope you have in Christ, knowing that through your obedience, God can use you to change lives for eternity.

Go and Tell!

One day, a young woman was walking home from work when she saw a little girl standing on the street corner, begging. The girl’s clothes were ragged, torn, and dirty; her hair was matted and unclean; her feet were bare, and her cheeks were red from the cold.

The young woman dropped a few coins into the begging cup, gave the girl a smile, and walked on. As she continued, she began to feel guilty. How could she go home to her warm house, stocked pantry, and well-supplied wardrobe while this little girl shivered on the street?

The young woman grew angry—angry with God—and she let her feelings be known in a prayer of protest: “God, how can you let these things happen? Why don’t you do something to help this girl?” And then, to her amazement, God answered. He said, “I did do something. I created you.”

In the busyness of our lives, we’re often driven by a sense of urgency: tasks to complete, schedules to maintain, places to go, people to see, and responsibilities to fulfill. However, as we go about our days, weeks, and months, it’s easy to forget who we are called to be—the hands, feet, and eyes of Jesus.

Being the hands of Jesus means serving others with love and compassion. Being the feet of Jesus means going where He leads, which requires stepping into the unknown and outside our comfort zones. It might mean visiting the sick, traveling to help the poor, or simply being present with someone who needs a listening ear. Jesus’ feet walked miles to bring good news and hope to the lost, and our feet, too, are meant to carry His message of love, compassion, and salvation to those around us.

Being the eyes of Jesus means seeing people as He sees them. When we walk through crowded places, do we see people as transactions or distractions—or as souls deeply loved by God? Jesus saw the brokenness and beauty in each person He encountered. He looked past outward appearances and into their hearts. He noticed the overlooked, loved the unloved, and brought light to the darkest places. We, too, are called to see people’s pain and meet it with His grace, to see their needs and respond with compassion.

My father reminded me often; he would say, “See a need, fill a need.” This is what it means to be the hands, feet, and eyes of Jesus. Yet sometimes our own busyness keeps us from seeing or responding. We are consumed by our phones and schedules, burdened by to-do lists, and focused on achieving our own goals. However, Jesus calls us to shift our priorities and focus on the right things, because if Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.

Listen closely: sometimes the most meaningful ministry happens when you slow down and choose to be present with others. In your busyness, ask yourself: Am I busy with the right things? Am I investing my time in what truly matters to God?

Be intentional today. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the needs of others around you. Maybe it’s the weary coach or coworker who could use some encouragement, the lonely neighbor or friend who has lost a spouse and could use a visit, or the homeless person standing by the stop sign who needs a meal. Whatever or whoever it is, open your eyes to the opportunities all around you, move your feet in obedience, and let your hands show God’s love in a practical way.

God provided a solution—He created you!

In the dry deserts of the Southwest, there are seasons when something truly miraculous happens. Every few years, after abundant winter rains, the seemingly barren desert explodes with color and life, as millions of wildflowers emerge from the dry, cracked soil. What was once lifeless and desolate suddenly becomes a tapestry of beauty and abundance. When the environment and conditions are just right, the seeds lying dormant for months or even years suddenly spring to life.

In a similar way, this is a picture of our spiritual lives. Just like the desert flowers, we all carry seeds of potential within us—gifts, talents, abilities, and spiritual fruit waiting to grow. However, these seeds only grow when we place ourselves in the right environments. Just as a super bloom is sparked by the right environment and nourishing rains, our spiritual growth flourishes when we intentionally place ourselves in environments that encourage and foster our faith to grow.

Jesus often spoke of growth in terms of soil. In the Parable of the Sower, He explains that seeds sown on good soil yield an abundant harvest (Matthew 13:8). In the same way, our souls need to be planted in “good soil”—healthy spiritual environments where our faith can be watered, nurtured, and cultivated.

So, in a practical sense, what does this look like? It means surrounding ourselves with people who encourage us in the Lord. It means being devoted to managing our time for daily prayer, reading and meditating on God’s Word, and carving out time to worship God in private and in public. It means choosing to be in fellowship with other believers who spur us on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). These are the “rains” that awaken the dormant seeds of our spiritual lives, transforming what once was dry and desolate into a spiritual life that is vibrant and alive.

Listen closely: Just as the desert super bloom doesn’t happen every year, spiritual growth can take time. You may go through seasons of waiting, where it feels like nothing is happening. However, you must continue to work while you wait. When you trust God’s timing and remain in healthy environments of spiritual growth, the Spirit of God will bring forth life. Even in the desert places of your life, God can cause a super bloom of faith, hope, and love to blossom.

I remind you today to evaluate and consider the environments you are intentionally placing yourself in. Are you rooted in places where your faith is being nourished, cultivated, and fed? If not, seek out environments of spiritual growth where the Word of God, the people of God, and the Spirit of God are present. Intentionally place yourself in these environments for spiritual growth. If you do, God promises that in due season, you will experience a super bloom of spiritual growth in your life. Never forget the law of the harvest:

“You reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, and you reap later than you sow.”

That is a “Super Bloom!”

One morning, an 83-year-old man was ordering his breakfast at his local McDonald’s drive-thru. A young lady in the car behind him leaned on her horn, started mouthing rude comments, and gave the old man the “Hawaiian Good Luck” sign with her middle finger because she felt he was taking too long to place his order. When the old man pulled up to the first window, he paid for her order along with his own. As they moved up in the line, the cashier told the young woman about the kind gesture the man had done for her.

The young woman, feeling guilty by this time, leaned out of her window and waved to the man, mouthing, “Thank you!”—obviously embarrassed that the man had repaid her rudeness with kindness. When the old man got to the second window, he showed the server both receipts—and took the woman’s bag of food too. Now the young woman had to go back to the end of the line and start all over again.

The moral of the story: Don’t blow your horn at old people—they have been around a long time.

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the simple yet profound act of kindness. However, as followers of Christ, we are called to be reflections of His love—and one of the most tangible ways to do this is through the characteristic of kindness. Jesus showed kindness throughout His ministry—whether He was healing the sick, feeding the hungry, or simply spending time with those who were outcast and overlooked. His actions were rooted in love and compassion, setting an example for us to follow.

Kindness is more than just being polite; it’s a powerful expression of God’s love in action. Because “Love IS Action.” It’s a smile to a stranger, a listening ear to a friend in need, a word of encouragement to someone who is discouraged, or a helping hand to someone struggling. When we show kindness, we create a ripple effect of hope and healing in a world that desperately needs it.

Listen closely: Showing kindness requires humility and selflessness. It means putting others’ interests before your own—even when it’s inconvenient. It’s about seeing the needs of others and being willing to step in with love, just as Jesus did. And while your actions may seem small, they have the potential to make a profound impact.

Ponder the following two questions:

• What ‘tangible action step’ can you take to show kindness to someone in your life today?
• Are there people you find difficult to be kind to? If so, ask God to soften your heart and help you see them through His eyes.

Show kindness today!

In the heart of a dark forest, hidden from the world of the living, resides an amusement park unlike any other—Satan’s Amusement Park. It isn’t a place of mere frights or tricks; it is a paradise of forbidden pleasures, designed to indulge every craving. Above is a sign that flickers in crimson light: “Welcome to Sinful Delights.”

No tickets are needed for this amusement park; it’s free admission. Simply an open invitation to step inside. That’s what draws people in. Those who enter find themselves irresistibly drawn to the rides, each one tailored to exploit their deepest vices. People melt away in the warm haze of satisfaction, enjoying all the rides and indulging in unbridled fun, food, and drink for as long as they desire.

And so it goes, day after day, week after week, and month after month. The park is a kingdom of vices, and everyone is a willing subject. The laughter, the screams, the music—it all blends into a symphony of sin that seems to last forever. No one worries about the time because, in Satan’s Amusement Park, there is no closing hour, no warning bell, no sign of the fun coming to an end.

However, all things must eventually end. The guests stagger toward the exit, exhausted yet satisfied. But when exiting, they’re met with the sight of a small, unassuming booth. A figure sits inside, cloaked in shadows, with only the glowing embers of its eyes visible through the darkness. A sign above the booth reads:

“Payment Due Upon Exit.”

Confused, the guests approach, expecting a nominal fee. As they hand over their wallets, the figure behind the booth shakes its head slowly, the embers of its eyes flaring brighter. The evil voice says, “It’s not money I’m after. The rides are free, but the cost is steep.”

One by one, they realize what is being asked of them. The fee is not in dollar bills, but in pieces of themselves. Each one pays their dues with the cost of their soul. Their joy turns to despair as they realize the true price of their pleasures. They leave the park forever marked by their time in Satan’s Amusement Park. The evil voice says, “Thank you for visiting. Come again if you dare.”

Satan’s Amusement Park stands silent once more, waiting, always hungry for the next wave of souls eager to pay the price for their lifestyle of sin and their rejection of Jesus Christ—not at the start, but at the bitter, inevitable end.

Listen closely: Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and charge you more than you are willing to pay. Yes, sin can be enjoyable “for a season.” But payment is always due when you leave Satan’s Amusement Park.

Ephesians 6:11-18 reminds us how to identify and respond to Satan’s game plan against us:

• Satan is constantly scheming against us! (6:11)
• Know who the real enemy is! (6:12)
• We are told to “stand” four times! (6:11, 13, 14)
• We must find our strength in the Lord and His power! (6:10)
• We must guard our hearts, minds, and lives with the full armor of God in Christ Jesus! (6:14-18)

Take heart! “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

A couple, married for 15 years, began having more frequent disagreements in their relationship. They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife suggested. For one month, they planned to drop a slip of paper in a “Fault” box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: “leaving the jelly top off the jar,” “wet towels on the shower floor,” “dirty socks not put in the hamper,” “toilet paper placed on the holder the wrong way”—on and on it went until the end of the month.

After dinner, at the end of the month, the couple exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same; the message on each slip read, “I love you!”

It’s a fact: relationships can be messy! Whether it’s with a spouse, child, parent, family member, friend, coach, teammate, work colleague, or neighbor, we all face relational tensions and challenges in our lives. No age, gender, religion, church, occupation, or country is immune to this. Often, it’s a love-hate relationship. However, as Christians, we have a responsibility to be good stewards and managers of the relationships in our lives.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 12:18:
“If possible, as far as it depends on you, live in peace with everyone.”

Listen closely: don’t skim over that first sentence. “If possible, as far as it depends on you.” Christ-dependent, Christ-exalting humility thinks about what honors others. It rejoices with those who rejoice. It weeps with those who weep. It hurts with those who hurt. It doesn’t repay evil for evil. It blesses those who persecute. It loves peace! However, we can’t guarantee that there will always be peace. That’s okay. You’re not held accountable for the other person’s response—whether they forgive or not—but you are held accountable for obeying God and His word.

Always remember: great doors of opportunity often swing on the hinges of obedience.

“If possible, as far as it depends on you, live in peace with everyone.”