Recently, I finished reading Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey, and I found it to be both profound and practical. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to understand how our faith can and should impact every aspect of life. One of the book’s central ideas is that our relationship with Jesus isn’t something to confine to Sundays or to the “spiritual” parts of our lives. As Christians, our faith should be lived out in every area—our work, relationships, and even our approach to science and public life.

What does it really mean to show mercy and seek justice? I hear and use these words all the time, but often I need to stop and think—what do they really mean? As Christians, we sometimes speak in familiar terms, but if asked to define them, we might struggle to explain. I’ve heard it said that justice is giving someone what they deserve, while mercy is willingly letting go of what’s owed to you for the sake of another. If someone steals from me, they’ve committed an injustice—they’ve taken what’s rightfully mine. Mercy, on the other hand, is me choosing not to demand repayment, absorbing the loss instead.

I’ve been thinking a lot about unity lately—especially what it means to be united as followers of Jesus, even when we don't always agree on everything. There’s this tension I feel sometimes, where the world tells us that unity means total agreement, but when I look at the Bible, I’m not sure that’s what Jesus or the apostles were getting at.

When I think about "doing all for God," I’ve sometimes caught myself equating “all” with the size or importance of what I’m doing—like it needs to be something big, like what missionaries or preachers do. But I believe the "all" isn’t about the scale of what we do, but the scope. It's not just the grand gestures or public acts of service, but everything—from the small, everyday tasks to the big, life-changing moments—that should be done as unto God.

When engaging with someone from the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a good starting point is to ask about the identity of Jesus and His role in salvation. This can prompt reflection on how His divinity—or lack thereof—influences their understanding of salvation and their personal relationship with God. By exploring how Jesus fits into their relationship with the Father, you can open the door to a deeper discussion about what it means to truly know and experience God personally through Christ.

When engaging with someone from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), a good starting point for dialogue is to explore their understanding of the relationship between grace, works, and Jesus in the context of salvation. This approach encourages them to reflect not only on how salvation is achieved but also on how their personal relationship with Jesus influences their faith and actions.

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25).

There’s a story in the book of Philemon that has always struck me as a beautiful picture of what Jesus does for us. It’s a short letter, easily missed, where Paul writes on behalf of a man named Onesimus. Onesimus was a runaway slave who had wronged his master, Philemon. But after meeting Paul and turning his life to Jesus, Onesimus now needed to face his past. Paul steps in as his advocate, asking Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ.

As I reflect on Jesus' words in Matthew 7, one passage that stands out is Matthew 7:15-20, where Jesus says, “You will know them by their fruits.” He warns that false prophets can appear as sheep but are inwardly ravenous wolves. However, we’ll recognize them by their fruit—something deeper than mere actions or claims. It’s easy to confuse spiritual gifts, like preaching or healing, with true fruit, but Jesus calls us to look deeper. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, and the like (Galatians 5:22-23)—is the real evidence of a life transformed by God. Gifts, while valuable, can be mimicked or misused, even by those who don’t truly know God. This leads to what Jesus addresses in Matthew 7:21-23, where He confronts those who rely on their gifts—prophesying, casting out demons, and performing miracles—yet He will declare, “I never knew you.”

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Life is always changing, and with change comes the need to make decisions. Some of these choices may have minor consequences, while others could alter the course of the one life God has given us. No pressure, right? Thankfully, just as we trust Him with our eternity, we can also trust Him to guide us through life's decisions. After all, He sacrificed everything for us; surely He won’t leave us to figure things out on our own. His Word not only confirms this promise (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5), but it also offers practical wisdom for discerning His will when life’s changes come our way.

As I reflect on the Bible, I notice how often the words righteousness and justice appear. These concepts seem to echo through Scripture, each capturing something essential about how we are called to live before God and with those around us. They often overlap, but I’ve come to see that they each bring something unique to the table—together forming a fuller picture of a life that honors God and reflects His heart.