We sometimes mistake religious performance for a relationship with God, convinced that if we just check enough boxes, we’re doing what He desires. The Pharisees kept all the rules, yet their hearts were far from Him. Jesus repeatedly crossed their man-made boundaries, not in rebellion, but to remind us that God cares more about what’s right than what’s merely religious. The world isn’t looking for people with all the answers; they want to see people who actually look like Jesus. May we have the courage to love like He does, even when the religious establishment won’t, because doing what’s right sometimes means breaking the rules.

Another Year of Grace
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As 2012 falls from the calendar and we stand on the threshold of a brand new year, one thing we can all say for sure is that God has given us another year of grace! We’ve had another 12 months to live for Him, to grow in Him, to bear fruit for His kingdom… but what have we done with those opportunities? Are we closer to Christ today than we were this time last year, or has our relationship with Him drifted apart? Each new year God gives us to live is another year we don’t deserve — another year of grace. What will we do with this one?



